Antipathy of the Orphan
by Skye Rave 4eva
Summary: A tale that synthesizes all the elements that made us watch Rurouni Kenshin in the first place. Dedicated for those who wanted MORE after Cartoon Network's version. A title worthy of Samurai X, a fanfic one can only dream that could be animated.
1. Deadly Titles From The Past

_Winter: Deadly Titles from the Past_

Snowflakes floated upon the thin margin of air as they slowly descended toward the field of snow. Trees, leaves covered in snow, stood like monoliths across the valley. A small trial of small footsteps had implanted themselves within the snow field. Sprinkling onto the surface of snow was the scarlet liquid of blood. A sword was drenched to the tip, a hyper-ficial blade with a tip that sliced through the molecules of the wind. An assassin, two sword sheaths slabbed across the waist, drenched with snow and sweat, raced across the wind.

Snow-frosted leaves began to slide through the upper crust of snowflakes, wrapping themselves around the dark-clothed figure, swarmed with hair that of jet black. A sigh was caught in the icy breath of the assassin.

"The Battousai has returned, that he has…"

------

As daybreak began, the light of day crept slowly to a little village sheltered within the trees. In the middle of town was a small edifice, protected under the walls of bamboo serving as its guard and perimeter. Sunshine poured through the shoji of the Kamiya Kashin Dojo, shining upon Kamiya Kaoru's smiling face.

"Oh… Kenshin…" she clutched her pillow and started shaking it absentmindedly, "Hahaha… gotcha cornered now… _snore…"_

A swift noise signaled the shoji opening, suddenly waking her from her slumber, "Huh—who?" her right hand covered her eyes as they gently began to open.

"Aye missy, somethin's come up." Said a low, hollow voice.

"Sanosuke?" she muttered quietly, "…Let me rest…" she turned over.

"The police are at your door." He said passively, "Well, if you want them to wait…"

Hey eyes snapped open, "PoLiCe?!" she threw the blankets off of her, "What happened?!"

"Why don't you ask them?"

Once at the entrance, the policeman looked at her sternly, "There are reports of ten assassinations last night." He told Kaoru, "Of a man with a cross-shaped scar. Some claim him to be Battousai."

Kaoru blinked, "Hey, are you saying that you're accusing…"

"Our information states that Himura Kenshin, the Battousai, lies within this edifice. We need to continue our investigation."

"Are you really sure that was him?" Sano whipped, "Kenshin was staying here last night."

"Actually we're not." The officer said, "According to the reports, they say the assassin was one with black hair."

Kaoru sighed, "Well, that's about that." A sudden weight in her heart was just lifted, "What harm could it be? Come in…" she led them to where Kenshin was staying, "Hey, Kenshin, I'm sorry to intrude but…" the shoji opened to reveal an empty futon and a neatly made blanket.

"Kenshin?!" Kaoru demanded, "KENSHIN?!"

------

Along the dirt road in the outskirts of town, Kenshin Himura walked down through the streets, "It's been a long while since I've dreamt of killing." He thought quietly, "It's even more odd that I haven't been able to think about anything except this funny premonition. It doesn't seem like it… wants to disappear."

He looked at the small fountain of a hadoyaka na onna with water streaming through the port of her mouth. Suddenly the sky above turned red as dawn and the sweet girl had gallons of blood pulsing out from her throat. His eyes bolted open.

Suddenly, everything started turning blue again, and the water and sky turned to its original color. Everything ceased to be red except his hair.

"The Revolution…" he muttered, his eyes narrowing, "Why has it come back to haunt me?"

------

"Have you heard?" The officer asked, "The style was identified as Hiten Mitsurugi sword technique. There's no one else that could have been able to pull that off but the legendary Battousai the Manslayer. His absence in the Kamiya Dojo is proof leading to the fact that last night he assassinated those ten men."

"Were these men any particular men by chance?" Sano asked.

"Former members of the Shinsengumi." The officer said. Kaoru let out a sharp cry. The Shinsengumi were the political group that were Kenshin, the Battousai's, mortal enemies during the Revolution; which marked the reformation ending the Tokugawa and Shogunate Government and beginning the new, democratic Meiji government.

"The assassination took place near Yamasaki last night." The officer continued, "Which is not too far from this area."

"I'm sure that Kenshin didn't do it." Kaoru protested, "He wouldn't do such a thing, not unless something very threatening came his way."

"Yeah, Kenshin would never do something like that, especially after keeping his vow to not kill for 10 years." Sano proclaimed strongly, "It wouldn't be at all like Kenshin. He wouldn't just kill some Shinsengumi because he felt like it!"

"Yeah, then what about the witnesses hearing the assassin yelling 'Hiten Mitsurugi' right before slaying his opponents? The coroners, even those from the revolution, got a chance to check the slain bodies of the assassin. There is no doubt that the skill of Battousai was at hand here."

"That's not strong enough proof, what about the black hair?"

"What about it? What happens if you never saw his real hair before? What happens if it was just part of his disguise to wear "red" hair?"

Kaoru slid her hand to her eyes to protect it from their view, "No! Kenshin didn't… he couldn't…"

"I couldn't do what, Miss Kaoru?" A small voice from the distance echoed.

"There YOU ARE!" The officer screamed, "Get him!" more officers, hidden in the bushes, leaped forward into view.

Kenshin stood in the distance, "Miss Kaoru… what is…?"

Sano socked the officer hard in the face and lifted him by the collar, suddenly stopping all the tension, "You rat! Why didn't you tell us you were hiding more behind the bushes! Scum!" All of the officers shifted their eyes to the bold man who just dared to hurt their leader.

"Wait Sano!" Kenshin called, "We don't want any violence, that we don't!"

"Oh please, Kenshin, you don't even want to get me started on what this government idiot has been telling us."

"Sano, Let him go." Kaoru said seriously, "How rude!"

"Look who you're talking to! He's the one who smuggled in all those cops!"

"He's had good reason to, and you didn't!" she argued

Sano grunted and let him down slowly. The officer stood up and wiped the dirt from his uniform, "I apologize." He said gruffly, "I was a little too brusque…"

Kenshin eyed the other officers around him, "It seems like there is something you would like of me." He said, dropping the intonation of his voice.

"Yes, we would like to know who assassinated the ten former members of the Shinsengumi last night on the 10th of December" the Officer said, "There is evidence that the assassin used a very rare technique, Hiten Mitsurugi."

Kenshin's eyes narrowed.

"Do you have any idea who may have attempted this?"

Kenshin hesitated. The wind blew around him. "Officer, I am sure that the assassin which you have heard about is not me. Although I alone have believed that I was the only one who could perform the Hiten Mitsurugi style it is unclear to me how it could have been obtained from another, that it is. My master never told me of another student that he taught in the past."

"Is it possible that this new Battousai may be a much younger student taught after you?"

"Hiten Mitsurugi is a very old and almost unheard of style now in this era of the Meiji government. It was only used by the Battousai ten years ago during the revolution. I would see no reason why someone, even my master, would bring it forth to the open after such a long time, that I cannot."

"If you cannot, then what do you have to say about yourself?" The officer demanded.

"All I can tell you is that if you wish for the assassin to continue killing staged targets and harm innocent people, you can pretend I am lying and try to arrest me as we speak."

There was a long pause.

"No." The officer shook his head, "I'm not that stupid. Himura." He looked forward at him, "I'll give you four days. That should be enough. Clear your name, or I'll have to arrest you" He made a signal with his hat, and his men became at ease, "That is all. Goodbye." They left silently

"Yeah! You run, you bunch of wussies!" Sano screamed after them

"Sano, calm down." Kaoru told him, "Kenshin…"

Kenshin continued to look forward. He didn't seem like he heard her voice. Suddenly, he spoke.

"I have always encountered enemies in the past, but never before have I imagined facing one who possesses the same technique as me." He said in a low voice, "I must find this assassin and stop him as soon as possible."

Kaoru went up to him and started yelling at him with a funny face, "You jerk! You can't just start wandering around without a bite of food! At least join us at the Akabeko Restaurant before you think of fighting again!" Kenshin went swirley-eyed and started groaning in guilt again.

------

"Aye Kenshin," Sano peered at him, "have any clue on what we're dealing with here?"

The Akabeko was as comforting as ever. Kenshin had agreed to take a bite before he began his journey to Yamasaki that evening.

He rubbed his chin while he looked at everyone gathered around the table. Miss Megumi, Yahiko Miyoji, Kamiya Kaoru…

"Kenshin…" she suddenly said, "Are you—are you sure it wasn't you?" everyone almost practically spat out all the rice from their mouth, except Kenshin, that is.

Kaoru looked down, "I'm just saying—"

"Are you crAzY?" Yahiko suddenly started shouting, as he always does, "Kenshin would never do something like that!"

"Well I—"

"Whatever you were drinking last night, tell me what it is." Sano jumped in, "That way when I drink it I'll be crazy enough to take on Majime Saitou again."

"Oh please." Miss Megumi said, "Even if you were drunk, you'd be shivering in your pants about that man. The former leader of the Shinsengumi, Kenshin's arch-rival."

"No I would NOT!" Sano protested, "Plus, that was only a side joke. Look" He blinked and looked at Kaoru, "If you think Kenshin was able to—HeY! What are you doing, Yahiko!"

"ow… that hurts quite a lot… that it does…" Kenshin said, in a kind voice, although Yahiko was tugging at his hair like crazy.

"SeE?! It pRoves iT!" Yahiko shouted, "Kenshin DiDn'T dO iT! It'S noT likE he WaS weaRiNg a WiG YA KnoW! His HaIr is ReD!"

"God dammit Yahiko-" Sano started to shout, "Stop being so goddamn loud!"

"Yahiko you should listen to Sano—" Kaoru said, "Don't take it seriously everyone, I didn't mean anything like—"

Kenshin smiled "I understan-"

"WhAt arE yOU saYiNg?! ThEn WhAt Do YoU thInK hApPenNed?!"

"Ok, that's it—" Sano said, covering his ears, "Yahiko, one more time and I'm going to seriously shut you up!"

"I'D liKE tO sEE yoU trY!" Yahiko screamed standing up.

"Woah-woah everyone…." Kenshin said, his eyes closed, smiling, "Nows not the time… that it's not."

"Looks like Yahiko was eating some sugar last night" Kaoru muttered under her breath.

"Honestly I don't think Yahiko needs anything to spruce him up." Megumi said, chuckling, "He seems to be naturally enticed. It's cute."

"Cute?!" Sano said, "I don't know where you bought your Dictionary, Missy, but mine says it's a-pain-in-the-rear-"

"oH yEaH!?" Yahiko said, about to rise, "I'll ShOw yOu A PaIn iN thE reAr—!"

Kenshin stood up, "I think I'm finished, that I am." He said, his quick action making everyone fall silent, "I'll be heading on my way now, thanks everyone."

"I'M coMiNG toO!" Yahiko said, standing up.

"Oh, no you're not." Sano said, rising himself, putting a distance of about a few feet above Yahiko. He looked down at him and grinned, "Not the way you are. Calm down, kiddo."

Yahiko grunted and sighed, "Fi—ne." he said calmly. Sano sighed in relief acknowledging Yahiko's change in energy.

Yahiko made a determined face. "I want to see you find this impersonator, Kenshin. He's probably just a cheap fake."

"Let's hope so—" Kaoru said softly, "Uh-" she rose her voice, "Kenshin?"

Kenshin turned towards her, "Yes?"

"You—it wasn't you, I know it wasn't." she said, "But—can you just… tell me it wasn't you? It'd make things a lot more easier."

Kenshin blinked, "I—can't." he said, his voice grew suddenly serious. Yahiko's eyes widened, and so did Sano's, "I had a dream last night." He said, "That I was Battousai."

Megumi came with a start, "Sir- Ken! You can't possibly think—"

"I don't know." Kenshin said, "I find it hard to believe there is another who possesses the same sword skill as myself." He paused, "It is even harder to acknowledge the fact that there was a cross shaped wound on their cheek."

"Someone sure is trying their best to be like you-" Sanosuke said, "How do you know he's just not some crazed fan of yours?"

"F-a-N?" Kaoru dropped her mouth open, "What kind of question is that?"

Sano shrugged.

"It's not that easy to kill 10 former Shinsengumi members in one night." Kenshin said, "I will try to look at all the possibilities. But I will not be able to make a consensus until I go to Yamasaki."

"Kenshin, let us come with you." Sano said, "Otherwise this brat-" he pointed at Kaoru, "will start—"

"Hey, I can hear you I'll let you know!" Kaoru said, "And it doesn't matter if he wants us to come or not, we're going."

"Yeah." Said Yahiko, "Let's go."

Miss Megumi sighed, "I wish I could go adventuring with all you kids." She said, acknowledging Kaoru and Yahiko, "But an emergency can come about anytime. I'll have to stay in the village and assist Doctor Gensai."

"Ok, seriously, how many times do you have to remind us?" Sano asked, trivially.

"When it comes to men like you, it's almost a necessity to remind you."

"Whatever—" Sano turned to Kenshin, "Ok, everything's set, let's fly."

Kenshin looked alarmed, "But what happens if I find that—"

"Look Kenshin." Sano said, "Unless some psychic was able to hypnotize you, it wasn't you who did anything; so let's get a move on already!"

Kenshin smiled, "Thanks… ok everyone, to Yamasaki."

------

As they crossed the dirt path to Yamasaki, some peddlers who were on their way towards the path where Kenshin had just come from looked at them peculiarly. They peeked through their yellow straw hats and lowered their hunched backs to just get a stare. Some of them continued on, not acknowledging the man with the cross-shaped scar and the company around him.

As dawn neared, a wonderful sunset began to take place, settling the sun down on a village covered by the red-orange hue. Kenshin stopped walking all of a sudden. Kaoru, who was walking beside him, stopped too, surprised.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"… I sense something here." Kenshin declared. Yahiko and Sano, who were ahead of them at that time, slowed down and turned around to look at them.

"Another man-slayer?" Sano asked.

"No… it feels swift, like a ninja." Kenshin said, "A presence lurking in the shadows." He squinted his eyes, "It's an assassin." Kaoru took a stance nearby him. A dark silence passed over everyone. Suddenly, Kenshin sighed and his shoulders relaxed.

"What happened?" Sano asked, still tense.

"It's gone." Kenshin said, "That feeling… of an assassin…" he paused, "It's very familiar, that it is." His knuckles barred as he clenched his sword, "It's not safe, I will tell you that." Everyone stood still for a moment, still stunned by Kenshin's reaction, but they continued on their way until they reached the village.

"Hello." A plain voice projected towards them. They turned their heads to see a limping woman with a walking stick, around prime age, wrapped in bandages, "What seems to bring you here? There are rooms for the night to the left of the village, and towards the right there are restaurants. In the back are mostly residential areas and if you're interested in any bars there are--"

"You shouldn't really be out this late." Kenshin said, "I know you've been hired to do this, but you shouldn't during times like these."

"Especially with those injuries." Sano said, "What happened to you?"

"None of your business." She said plainly, clutching her arm, "I need the money anyway, that's the only way I can live. Without it I'm going to die anyway."

"I understand." Kaoru suddenly said, interrupting Sano from saying further more, "I apologize for my friend." She smiled at the woman but the woman continued to stare blankly at them.

"Be careful." Kenshin warned her, "I felt something very dangerous lurking in the distance, closer than you think.""

"I don't really care if I die." She said, suddenly looking at Kenshin in the eyes, "My parents died when I was six, and I've been living at the brink of life and death for so long by myself that it doesn't matter."

Kenshin blinked, "I'm sorry to intrude… but during the attack last night were you somehow involved? Are your injuries…?"

"Yes, but you can't rely on me for much details." She said, bluntly, "As I was running away I tripped and fell down. Lousy…" she patted her clothes with her palms, and a small dust cloud formed.

Kenshin smiled, "You should be more careful, that you should." He said, "Even with those bandages on I can tell from beneath those covers you look very attractive. You shouldn't force yourself to do things that can be harmful for yourself. I'm pretty sure if you looked at the bright side of life you'd be able to lead a meaningful future…"

"That I should?" she asked, trivially, copying his calm intonation, "No, that I can not." Kenshin found her little joke both cold and amusing at the same time.

"I hope you reconsider." He said, "Anyhow, I'm meaning to look for some information. Last night there were ten who were killed."

"That's correct. By the Battousai."

"I need to speak with the witnesses."

"There's only three. Including myself." She said, "Yon-san is in the Mirameki hotel located three buildings from the last down the path to your left. He's with the doctor but he is not expected to live. He was fatally attacked. Ishimo-kun is only 15, around this time he is either at the Izure Midori Restaurant or at his house, in the residential area. He actually saved me because the Battousai went after him and he was able to lure him away. Anyways, we alone are the three witnesses."

"It would be good to split up." Kenshin said, "Sanosuke, I want you to interrogate Yon-san in the Mirameki. Miss Kaoru and Yahiko, stick together and search for Ishimo. I'll stay right here with miss...."

"Yuki."

Kaoru blinked, "But Kenshin… is that necessary?"

"I want to have a talk with her."

Yahiko grinned from behind, "Worried?"

Kaoru blushed, "Well—yes!" she turned towards Miss Yuki, "I'm sorry, Miss, but if you didn't notice, it's getting darker. I think we should all be together just in case the assassin strikes…" She was right. They could hardly see each other's faces by now.

"She's got a point, Kenshin." Sanosuke said, "That guy killed 10 shinsengumi…"

"You have a point, it has gotten darker, but you must be sure to acknowledge that Yon-san may be dying any moment now and the ambiguity of Ishimo's whereabouts are enough to leave everyone running around for at least an hour. Furthermore if the assassin strikes he will attack the most vulnerable victim first; the one who is weakest. It could either be the boy, the man who is about to die, or me."

Everyone blinked and glared at Kenshin. Never before had he insisted against them.

"Why do you think he'd want to attack you?" Sano asked.

"Hey, what are you saying? It wasn't me talking." Kenshin said innocently, in a high voice.

"Huh?" They glanced towards Miss Yuki.

"What do you want to do?" She asked Kenshin, "He can attack any of us, who do you think he'll pick?"

Everyone looked back at Kenshin. Although they could barely see the outline of his face now, it was evident that he was thinking. Suddenly, he answered.

"I prefer splitting up." he said, "That way we can accumulate information faster. Miss Kaoru, don't worry, bring Ishimo back here as soon as you find him. Sano, stay with Yon-san. I highly doubt that the assassin will try to kill someone who is bound to death. We'll all rush together to the apartment once Miss Kaoru returns for safety."

"Kenshin…" Kaoru protested, "I think splitting up is good, but seriously if the assassin comes to Ishimo first… me and Yahiko may not be able to hold him off. Can you come with us? Yuki can come too…"

"I'll only slow you down." She said.

"Kenshin could carry you—"

"That leaves him defenseless if the assassin attacks." She said calmly, "He'd be an easy target, carrying me around."

"But… then WE'LL be defenseless." Kaoru said back, holding back her anger, "Kenshin, really, you should come along…"

"Miss Kaoru… you're--" Kenshin said, but then held back, "I'm sorry…you're better off alongside Yahiko rather than Yuki is. The assassin is more concerned about his victims. Also 'Battousai' may not know my strength, and he might be drawn towards one man other than two people protecting a witness."

Kaoru was about to scream at him: _But she doesn't CARE if she dies_, but she knew even if she said that Kenshin would want to protect Yuki anyways.

Although Kaoru was the daughter of a Swordsman, and she continued her father's legacy of the Kamiya Kasshin Kendo Style, her training was not sufficient enough to take on an assassin. Furthermore, her one and only apprentice, Yahiko, was only 11, and had only learned the Kamiya Kasshin Style for a year. They were definitely not experienced enough to fight an assassin together.

The purpose of the Kamiya Kasshin style was also a style not of battle. It was only an art that was created so one could improve discipline and self-confidence; which explained why Kaoru and Yahiko only wielded wooden swords, not real ones.

"I'm off." Sano said, "Ciao."

"Fine… Kenshin, be careful."

"Don't worry about me." Kenshin said.

Soon everybody had left, and snow started to fall from the sky. Kenshin and Miss Yuki were silent for awhile. Then she smiled, "Where do you want to talk?"

"Let's go where everything occurred." Kenshin said, seriously.

"Then follow me."

They walked outside the village and approached a wide meadow where a few trees were. By this time, snow had already collected among the tree branches and the meadow was filled with snow. She limped a couple more feet ahead of him, and then stopped. They stood together as the snow continued to pour, their clothes fluttering in the cold wind.

"It never occurred to me that someone else could have learned the Hiten Mitsurugi style." Kenshin said, silently, "It wasn't meant to kill."

"But it was used to kill, regardless." Yuki said, the wind fluttering her clothes.

"Yes, I know." He drew his sword, "It was…"

Yuki stared at him, "So you knew all along, didn't you?"

"Yes I did." Kenshin said, smiling seriously, "Although you were bandaged and limping, I did not fail to notice that your hair was jet black and that you wore a patch across your right cheek."

Yuki laughed, "I know…" she pulled the patch off her cheek, to reveal a cross-shaped wound. She quickly unwrapped and tossed the other bandages off her body, to reveal a samurai kimono, exactly like Kenshin's except it was dark blue, and two swords bounded across both her right and left hip.

"It wasn't until Shishio's defeat that I found out about your whereabouts." She said, calmly "I honestly thought you had died long ago."

"I do not know why you wish to challenge me… but no matter what skill you possess, it will have to surpass that of the Hiten Mitsurugi's ultimate attack in order to defeat me."

"Very well." She smiled maliciously and lunged towards him, taking him by surprise. She had left many of Kenshin's questions unanswered, but he decided he would fight now and ask questions later. She continued to rush towards him, without fear.

Kenshin's eyes widened, _She knows I won't use it…_although Kenshin knew he wanted to end this battle quickly, he knew that even his master and Aoshi Shinamuri had barely survived the Hiten Mitsurugi ultimate attack.

As she neared him he jumped into the air, "HITEN MITSURUGI RyUu SuItSuEn!"

As his katana was a hairs width away from her shoulder she had already grasped both Katana hilts with both hands from the right and left side, "HITEN MITSURUGI AMAKAKERU RYUU NO HIRAMEKI!"

Kenshin's eyes snapped wide open _NO!_

Suddenly, everything turned black.

------

_Kenshin Ending Theme Song..._


	2. No More Treading Water

_No More Treading Water_

Kenshin rose his eyes for what seemed to be once since a very long time. Surprisingly enough, it was night, and someone was pressing their body against him, smuggling him.

"Oh Kenshin…"

Kenshin's strength started failing again and he could feel his eyes lids pulling down. _Miss… Kaoru…?_

------

He woke up yet again, as a warm wet cloth pressed itself upon his forehead. He looked up to see a woman covered in patches over him, treating to him.

"It seems that he has come back to his senses." She said, aloud.

Immediately, Sano, Yahiko, and Miss Kaoru appeared before his vision.

"Kenshin are you—"

"Hey, how'd you let—"

"—all right?"

"—someone get you like that—?"

"Ishimo was killed—" Yahiko said, pained, "He slaughtered him on the spot—"

Kenshin blinked, looking up at miss Yuki above him, "I… feel like I had been dreaming..."

"The assassin attacked as soon as they left." Yuki informed, "He must've caught you by surprise. It's even a miracle that you survived. Those marks across your chest are a big X. The shape of a double attack of the battousai."

Sano gulped, "Aye Kenshin—those marks look a lot like the one you gave Aoshi with your Hiten Mitsurugi attack… Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki."

"Whatever this Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki attack is…" Yuki said, "It made you numb for the entire night. I wasn't expecting you to wake up, ever."

"It's not possible to survive a double Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki without the weapon being a reverse blade sword, like my own." Kenshin said, "And then afterwards kill a boy using the same sword."

"Unless the sword was reversed for that purpose." Yuki said, plainly.

Kenshin weakly smiled at her, "I see. So how were you able to make it back safely?"

"I screamed out as soon as I saw you fall. Fortunately when your friends rushed back, this boy and Kamiya-chan, the assassin shifted targets and escaped through the shadows." She nudged her head towards Kaoru, "She was brave, she decided to stay with you while she sent this boy with me towards the Mirameki, because it was the closest sanctuary at the time."

Sano jumped in, "Yeah, when Yahiko went to the Mirameki, he told me all about everything. We decided to leave Yuki and Yon-san together in the Mirameki and we rushed as quickly as we could to Missy here. Luckily, when we went back she was still there."

"I… I told everyone to search for Ishimo. I let you stay in the nearest inn for safety, and we went out into the night."

"Miss Kaoru-!" Kenshin said, sitting up. However, he found his movement too rash. His chest began to start burning. He grasped it and winced in pain and spoke weakly, "That's dangerous. You knew the assassin had strength greater than mine. You shouldn't have—"

"We had to save the boy… after seeing how he already aimed for Yuki."

"I still don't understand why that coward wouldn't take us on right there." Sano said, "If he was so good why would he run just because of us?"

"Assassin's hide in the shadows and pick their prey one by one." Yuki said, "That way it is more unlikely for any witnesses to develop. One cannot underestimate the power of another. Therefore no chances are taken."

"Hey, how do you know all of this?" Kaoru asked.

"I was a little girl living in Kyotou during the revolution." She answered, apathetically, "Assassinations and endless manslaughter occurred endlessly, every night. After living in Kyotou for years, that is how I learned how to survive. Assassins such as the Battousai carry on such a pattern that I've seen it so much I can adapt to it."

"But… this isn't battousai we're dealing with." Kaoru said, pointing to Kenshin, "HE was battousai… ten years ago."

Yuki widened her eyes, "Oh?!" she blinked three times in a row, "He's not just some Ronin looking for a challenge?"

"No, Missy. The truth is that imposter that left that X across Kenshin's chest doesn't know who he's dealing with. This guy is the real thing."

"Is that so? I never would have guessed."

Kaoru gasped, "How old were you when you were living in Kyotou?"

"I was born in Kyotou. I've been living there for a long time."

"You said your parents were killed… is it possible it was…" she stopped.

"I don't remember." She said, "I was only six at the time. And the assassin was too fast for me to see. I was blinded by the blood of my mother as she splattered across the room."

"Ow." Sano said, acknowledging her words, "So you were only six back then? So how old are you…"

"17." She said plainly.

"17?" Kaoru blinked, "You're three years younger than me. You seem older though."

"My life is one that forces you to mature faster." She said coldly, "But if you wish to see my face…" she pulled off some bandages.

"Oh my god." Sano practically screamed, "I mean… wow…"

Kaoru turned red. Kenshin's eyes widened.

With her bandages off, she certainly looked 17 years old. Her skin seemed smooth and perfect, and even more, her eyes were shaped in a beautiful almond way. The only thing was what was in her eyes… which seemed like darkness.

There was also something that Kenshin didn't see, a cross-shaped scar.

Her eyes widened an inch as well, "Is there something wrong?" she asked.

Kenshin blinked, "Well… you look 17, that you do…"

"Thank you." She concealed her face again, "I actually put these bandages as a decoy. My real pain is in my legs, but I tend to cover my face all the time so perverts won't come after me."

"Nice plan…" Kaoru said, "I wish I was that attractive…" she blushed, "I mean… haha, what am I saying? It's not like I'm jealous or anything."

"Seems like it." Yahiko grunted.

"Hey, shh already!" Kaoru said, a little loudly, "Well, we thank you for reviving Kenshin back."

"He won't be able to be back to normal until a day." Yuki said, "If he tries anything too strainful, it may be fatal."

"Aren't we forgetting something?" Yahiko said, "Ishimo was assassinated last night!"

"We were just getting back to that." Sano protested, "Kenshin… the assassin knows the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu Suitsuen. He used it perfectly in front of our faces."

"Yeah, right in front of us!" Yahiko yelled, "That cheap. He gives me a bad face. I've been training hard to mimic it, and he just pulled it off to assassinate someone."

"Yahiko, calm down, don't assume Kenshin knows everything about what happened yet." Kaoru said, "It's not like the assassin just used the Ryuu Suitsuen publicly for everyone to see."

"We saw him leap off the rooftop as soon as Ishimo left the Izure Midori. One slash, one Ryuu Suitsen. We were a couple of feet away." Sano continued.

"And then he fled…" Kaoru said, "We were all stunned. Blood was everywhere… splashed over a range of six feet."

"Yahiko was stunned for 3 hours after the incident." Sano said, "He couldn't believe what he saw. It was the first time we saw something so brutal."

Their faces looked very grieved for a moment. It seemed to Kenshin that the only reason they had regained any happiness at the moment was the joy of his revival.

"You have to get him, Kenshin." Sano said, "You only have three days to clear your name."

"Promise me you'll whack that guy hard." Yahiko said, looking at the ceiling, "I already hate his guts. More than ever."

"Now now…" Kenshin said, "That's no way to think about it."

Yahiko couldn't hold it any more. He blinked his eyes, tears streaming down them, and he glared at Kenshin, "You don't understand. He was just a kid, Kenshin, just a kid! And he died!"

Kenshin closed his eyes, "Yahiko-! I am aware of that, that I am. However, what is done is done, and killing someone out of revenge is no way to ease the pain. But you're right, justice must be done. I will make sure it is served." He laid back down, "I must rest. Tomorrow night I will face off the assassin and stop him. I would appreciate it if you all keep near tonight, that way the assassin will not be able to get me."

Sano, Kaoru, and Yahiko looked at each other.

"I will not be taken by surprise so easily next time." Kenshin assured them, "This time it will be open. One on one against the battousai." He coughed, and spoke weakly, "But I need my rest… I would like to be treated to in private."

They didn't need to ask, they already understood. Kenshin was in no mood to talk, they knew he wasn't in the mood at all. They left quickly and decided to go to a restaurant for some food to condolence their grief.

As soon as Yuki saw them leave from the window, she spoke.

"Why are you angry?" she asked blankly.

"Why did you save me?" Kenshin growled at her.

"I wanted you to feel the pain that I felt long ago." She said, coldly, "When you slew my parents in front of my eyes."

A deep wound from the past felt like it would erupt once again, but Kenshin blocked it. Pain was searing through Kenshin's senses, but he knew he made a vow with himself never to become battousai again.

"Do you wish to kill me?" she asked him, "Your friend definitely does, I see it in his eyes. Should I arrange a match with him?"

"No. It's me you want, not him." Kenshin said weakly, "Don't get anyone else involved in this."

"Do you think justice has been served?" she asked, her voice rising, "I certainly think we are far from it."

"Yuki… for the past eleven years I have thrown away the title of battousai. I am very much aware of my guilt… I made a vow never to kill again. Now the only purpose I live is to help those who need it."

"I am sorry. You've left me with a strong desire to kill you since 11 years ago. There isn't anything else I would want, no matter what you say. You ended my life that day, and the only reason I lived was to destroy you."

An old sense of pain hit Kenshin again. He had not felt this since 10 years ago, when he found out that his lover had turned her back on him to kill him. Kenshin's head automatically grew weaker, and he felt his weakness growing upon him.

"You're still young." Kenshin said, one last attempt to stop her, "Killing me won't do anything... you'll still feel that pain."

"I'm not as young as you think." She said, "I was 12 when you killed my parents. I'm really 23 years old and I still have a clear picture of the assassin in my mind."

"If you so wish to serve justice… why don't you do it?"

"That's why I kept you alive." She said, a hint of joy in her voice, "It doesn't pain me to assassinate children in the night. But it does to you—"

"Stop! Enough already!" Kenshin said, "Why are you doing this—?"

"I think you're right; about what you told the boy." Yuki said softly, "Killing isn't the way to do it. It must be worse than that. That way justice is served." She grinned evilly and pulled off her bandages, revealing her face.

"Maybe this is what I deserve…" Kenshin said softly, "I'm sorry that I killed your parents. But this isn't justice, you're only washing away blood with more blood!" tears were streaming down his face.

"You're right." She said, caressing his face, wiping his tears, leaning towards him, "If you don't want me to kill Yahiko tonight, I won't. Only if you do one thing."

"I promised I would not do any sense of injustice or kill again."

She smiled, "It doesn't deal with that." she leaned towards his ear and whispered something to him. Kenshin's eyes closed and he choked. His mind was unclear, his guilt was overwhelming him more than ever.

"… or not the boy dies tonight."

Kenshin blinked, "… you're willing to give up your body to the one who killed your parents?"

"You say you live for justice, but you don't seem like it." She said coldly

". . . I believe I shall pay for my crimes…" he said, "…however, I want you to know that I'm not going to participate in this for the sake of Yahiko. It is oblivious to the fact that you will get what you want with or without my volition."

"Good…" She smiled, "Then ease my heart… make love to me."

"On the promise… I will face you in three days once more in order to stop you once and for all."

She smiled more, showing her teeth "I accept… hitokiri battousai, the man-slayer." she went over the window and closed the shutters…

Kenshin closed his eyes shut. _I'm sorry… Miss Kaoru…_

------

"How's it possible…" Kaoru asked again, "How can someone else know the Hiten Mitsurugi style?"

A flashback from the day before replayed itself before their eyes. That god-like speed, that clean smooth move… the assassination.

Tears slid across Yahiko's cheeks as he recalled the loud scream of Ishimo as the blade split him apart and spurted out across the dirt. The blur as the assassin, whom they had seen as only a glimpse of dark blue and black jumped back into the rooftops. Sano leaped up as well, but there was no more sign. By the time anyone else had reached the scene, it was too late. Ishimo had died and the assassin was gone.

When Sano, Kaoru, and Yahiko reached the Mirameki, Yon san had already died, and Yuki was sitting next to him, pressing her hand upon his forehead with a sincere look on her face. When she was informed on what had happened, she did nothing, as if she knew it was inevitable, and instead demanded where Kenshin was. When they told her they left him at an inn she got angry and scolded them and insisted immediately to be taken to Kenshin in order to treat him.

That night they lit the candles and lay Kenshin on a matt. Two deep wounds engraved themselves across his chest, yet there was no sign of blood whatsoever. Yuki ordered for a clean cloth and some hot water. They removed the top of Kenshin's kimono and treated his chest. Afterwards they stayed up all night, worrying endlessly.

It was one of Kaoru's scariest moments in her life. She thought that Kenshin would not make it. Even Sano, convinced that a double Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki was fatal enough judging that with just one strike it was enough to take someone out. Yahiko was the only one who had no doubt that Kenshin was too strong to be destroyed so easily.

"There's only one way to find out." Sano said, taking a bite out of some of the fried fish before him, "We have to confront Kenshin's master again."

"We can't leave Kenshin here, though." Kaoru said, "He's…" she covered her mouth, tears dripped down her face, "He's weak…" she said in a high-pitched voice.

"If there's anything I know about Kenshin…" Yahiko said, "He's bound to recover quicker than we can imagine. He's probably reached half of his strength back already. We can start going to Kyotou later today."

"Don't be so rash." Sano said quickly, "That double attack rendered him helpless. Although he's gained conscious, he's still not going to move until another few hours."

"You under-rate Kenshin, SANO!" Yahiko started to yell, "He's the best!"

"If he was so good then why was he caught off guard?!" Sano shouted.

"Because the assassin knows Hiten Mitsurugi!" Kaoru screamed at them. Both of them stopped fighting and looked at her, eyes wide open, "From all the battles Kenshin has fought, he has never fought anyone who used his style. Nevertheless expected anyone else to know about the ultimate attack! I bet if he knew he wouldn't have been caught off guard!"

"Even if he fought the assassin, none of this makes any sense." Sano said, "Because as Kenshin said before, the only way he could've survived that attack is if the assassin used a reverse blade sword." He paused, "Or in this case, two reverse blade swords."

"Unless it was reversed for that purpose." Kaoru repeated… her voice growing still.

"Wait! What does that mean?!" Yahiko protested.

"Hmm… I see. After all that's happened, it's only obvious." Sano said, making a serious voice, "The assassin isn't just killing for the heck of it. He's doing it on purpose in order to draw Kenshin towards him."

"How though?" Kaoru asked, "Sano… why would…?"

"When I was talking to Yon-san before he died." Sano said, angered, "There was something unusual about how he said the assassin killed those ten shinsengumi members two days ago."

"What do you mean?"

"It wasn't from stealth."

"HuH? But then how..?"

"It was arranged. The Shinsengumi had their swords, and they were dressed up. It took place in the meadow beyond the village. Yon-san was just happening to return from the village after seeing his grandmother when it occurred."

"And what did he see?"

"It seemed to be a battle. He was caught in the onslaught… sliced through the chest. He only pretended to be dead. He must've done a good job at it… by the time Ishimo had informed the police about the fight, they were able to recover him."

"Where does Ishimo come in?"

"I don't know… we'll never know. But according to Yuki, he saved her life because the assassin went after him instead of her. He was able to make it to the police… which means he must've been considerably close to this village at the time.

"But what would both of them be doing during that night?" Kaoru asked.

"That's my point." Sano said, clenching his fist "I figure… miss Yuki seems to be a little out of place. I don't trust her." He paused, "No, I don't."

"Sano!" Kaoru protested immediately.

"I'm going to have a little talk with her." He said, "Even if she did live in Kyotou during the revolution, it's impossible for her to survive twice after two nights of the assassinations."

"No, don't! We all know that she just revived Kenshin—"

"I don't give a damn. Something stinks, I smell a rat." Sano said, "Yon san was a good man. He didn't deserve to die."

"Ishimo was still a child, there was no excuse for him to die like that." Yahiko said, "If Yuki has anything she's hiding, I say we find it."

"Kenshin was injured, but because of Yuki he's still alive! What more could we ask for? Kenshin…"

"Kenshin was a manslayer and killed thousands of people during the revolution." Sano said, "Even he knows that he puts the innocent's life ahead of his. Stop being so possessive. Kenshin acts with so much valor it's only right to follow his example and stop making excuses."

"…" Kaoru stopped, "Fine. We'll ask her more about it." She said, "Let's go."

"Afterwards." Sano said, "When he's healed we have to rush to Kyotou to his master."

"Is that necessary?" Kaoru asked.

"Yes." He said, "We need to see who we're dealing with. Not even Kenshin knows about this person he's dealing with. For all we know, he could be…"

"We know that he's not some fraud." Kaoru said, "He pulled off the ultimate attack. Only a trained student can master such an attack."

"But we don't know his story, or anything about him." Sano said, "Or if he has a secret pact with Yuki."

"I don't know why you would even think of such a thing!" Kaoru yelled at him, "You jerk! Yuki wouldn't have saved Kenshin last night if she wanted him dead."

"Don't be so blind!" Sano said, his eyes wide open, giving a scary face, "Maybe she didn't want him dead! We don't even know her. Trusting her would be like offering to shake hands with Shishio."

Yahiko grinned, "I know she wears patches, but I doubt she's that dangerous."

Sano made a face, "I didn't mean for it to be a joke. For all we know she could be that dangerous. Let's go."

------

"They're coming…" Yuki moaned and stared down at Kenshin, whose eyes were still closed, "Thank you… I have never screamed in so much delight in my life."

"I promise it will be your last." Kenshin said, snapping his eyes open, "That it will."

------

The door slammed open.

"Hey!" Sano called out, "Miss Yuki, we need to talk."

She was kneeling beside Kenshin, patting his forehead with the damp cloth, "Yes? Is there something you needed?"

"Yeah." Sano said, taking a bold step forward, "I have some questions."

"It seems your chat with Yon-san has arose some suspicions about me."

"Yeah, it has. Like how it just so happens that you were able to survive twice without getting as much as a scratch on your body."

"Well, doesn't it so happen that I am a survivor of the Kyotou Revolution? I hope that it doesn't come as a surprise to you that I am used to this."

"Yeah, but that was 11 years ago, and you're injured. Or are you?!"

"I'll admit I'm better off than you think, but that's none of your business."

"I think it is." Sano said, his voice growing, "Because I don't trust you. Your heart is cold, like an assassin's."

She blinked and smiled, "I must implore you, sir, you are sounding quite awkward. You mustn't remember the way I acted when I found out you abandoned your friend?"

"Our friend is battousai, most likely the man who killed your parents." Sano said.

"Sano!" Kaoru said, "That's enough, you're assuming too much!"

"Quiet!" Sano said, "That'd give you even more of a reason to lead him here so he could fight with the assassin. From what I think, you may be working along-side this guy, for revenge against Kenshin!"

She blinked, "I'd say, that is quite a wonderful theory." She said plainly, "Except the fact that I was only six at the time. There is no way I would recall anything about my parents assassin at such an early age…"

"Lies." Yahiko yelled, "I'm eleven, and I'd say I could remember someone's face when I was six!"

Her eyes shot open, peering into Yahiko's as a conviction, shocking him, "Oh is that so, little boy? Have you ever witnessed an assassination when you were six? Have you even recalled the assassin's face from the night before?"

Yahiko was taken aback, "Well… I… no…"

"And you are what? Eleven?"

Sano took another step forward, "Don't look at him like that." He spat, "We aren't putting a mark on you, we're just suspicious, so don't take it out on us if we touch a soft spot!"

Her eyes went back to normal, shaping back into that soft, cold, beautiful almond shape, "Oh sorry, my past is just such a distressing issue."

"Yeah, but let's get back to two nights ago. What were you doing, why were you out there so late at night?"

"None of that is your concern."

"What was that?" he stepped forward again, now they were almost face to face, considering that Sano was considerably taller than her.

"Stop, Sano—!" Miss Kaoru said.

"I said it was none of your business." She said coldly. Sano couldn't help it anymore. He took a swing at her face.

_SmAsH! _

"Ugh!" she said, taking a step back, holding her lips.

"Sano! STOP!" Kaoru said, "What are you doing?!"

"We need to know! Ishimo is dead! Yon-san is dead! You're the only one left who can tell us anything else!" Sano said, clenching his fist, "Maybe you don't fear the assassin, but you'll start getting afraid of me if you keep acting like that!"

"I don't fear death." She said coldly, "And I'm not telling you anything."

"Don't worry, I'll make you-" Sano said, gritting his teeth, raising his fist.

"NO SANO! She's only 17!"

"I…DoN'T…CARE!" he said, swinging his fist, connecting with Yuki's stomach, the impact of the force causing her to fly back to slam across the wall against the window. The force was enough to break the window. She sat up against the wall, her legs spread out forward ahead of her.

She looked up at him and made an evil smile, blood dripping down her mouth, "I hope you're happy."

"I'm far from it!" Sano said, running up to her, kicking her face.

"UggGHHhh!" she said, her head snapping upward from the force.

"Sano! Stop already!" Kaoru shouted, "Stop!" she took out her wooden training sword, which was strapped on her back, "I said stop Sano! NOW!" she stomped on the ground as she took her stance, causing a loud sound to echo across the room. Sano and Yahiko both looked back at her.

Sano was still breathing hard, "You're a tough one, missy." He said, to both of them, "Look, we NEED that information."

"Stop or else." Kaoru said her sword poised to fight.

"Or else, what?" Sano said, turning to face her.

------

_Kenshin Ending Theme Song…_


	3. Atonement of Sins

_Atonement of Sins_

Sano turned facing sideways to her, "Look Missy, if we don't get that information we might be in danger."

"I don't care. Spare her. She saved Kenshin." Kaoru said, "She doesn't need you to force things out of her that she doesn't want anyone to know."

Sano made a face, and looked at Kaoru straight for ten seconds. Suddenly, he spat on the floor. "Fine…" he said, "Have it your way." He walked towards them, passing them as he went his way.

"Hey!"

Sano stopped.

"Apologize." Kaoru said, "Now."

"Fine… sorry." He said, harshly, and left.

Kaoru rushed towards Yuki, "I'm so sorry I let him do that… Are you alright?"

She leaned forward to see that Yuki was sobbing softly, tears in her eyes, "I hate him…" she muttered, under her breath, panting, "He knew I couldn't fight back…"

"You shouldn't have acted so mean to him… " She leaned closer, "Here… this can wipe off some of that blood." She handed her a white cloth.

"…I'll be fine." She said, snatching the cloth from her hand, "Don't worry, he'll be punished eventually…" she said, still breathing hard.

"I… I don't know what's into him. We should actually be thanking you for helping Kenshin…"

"It's alright… I'm actually surprised that he could derive what he said." She said, wiping the blood from her mouth, "… I don't blame him. But… thanks… I guess."

"It's ok, I'm only doing what Kenshin would've done." She paused, "In a sense. He's much more smoother than I am."

They looked back at him, but his eyes were still shut, as if he were sleeping.

------

"Hiko Seijiro, Kenshin's master…" Yahiko repeated, in the local restaurant Izure Midori, three hours later. Sano and Miss Kaoru had not said a word to each other, it seemed that they still were mad at each other, "Hey, aren't you guys excited? He's as good as Kenshin, if not better!"

"Kyoto is far, very far." Sano said, "And that's not even it, we have to venture farther in order to reach sir Hiko."

"At least it's necessary." Kaoru said, "So we'll be able to know the truth. The only true master of the Hiten Mitsurugi should know."

"And he'll just prove me right!"

"As in WhAt do you possibly mean by that?!"

"That somehow Yuki is part of this!"

"Aren't we even worried about Kenshin? What if the assassin attacks tonight?"

"Kenshin is fine. We'll only get in the way if we stay here. I'm pretty sure Kenshin is the only one who can actually maintain peace in this city."

"Then why did he lose last night?"

"Doesn't it make sense?! Because the lady was there with him! Didn't you see his face?"

"Huh?!" Kaoru blinked, "What do you mean?"

"Didn't you see?!" He slapped his forehead, "He was staring at her like a tramp! He was infatuated!"

"In-whA?!" Yahiko screamed, "Are you saying Kenshin actually LiKeS her?!"

"At the time being, he did." Sano said, "Why else would he brush off Missy's advice and go with miss Yuki?"

"That—that had nothing to deal with it!" Kaoru said, protesting, "Kenshin just took the better advice… and—and—"

"I actually thought your idea was much better. Knowing Kenshin—I know that deep inside he knew it was too."

"So then why--?"

"It's obvious that he wanted to stay with Miss Yuki."

"You IDIOT!" Yahiko screamed, "Why would Kenshin want to stay with an old hag like her?!"

"Although she's crippled at the moment, Yuki gave a good impression as soon as she started talking to Kenshin. If you didn't notice, she almost has the same kind of mind as Kenshin himself, since she lived during that period of the revolution."

Kaoru's eyes widened, "Are you saying…."

_"So you were only six back then? So how old are you…"_

_"17." She said plainly._

_"17?" Kaoru blinked, "You're three years younger than me. You seem older though."_

_"My life is one that forces you to mature faster." She said coldly, "But if you wish to see my face…" she pulled off some bandages._

_"Oh my god." Sano practically screamed, "I mean… wow…"_

The beautiful, calm, fragile face reappeared in Kaoru's memory.

_"… I would like to be treated to in private."_

-Kenshin had said that to us before we left him from Yuki.- Kaoru thought, -Is it possible-? Her head slumped.

"I know… that Yuki looks like a goddess when she pulls off those patches…" Kaoru said, "So what if she's seventeen? I don't believe you."

"Over that—her tactical level is high." Sano reminded her.

Kaoru's eyes flashed at him, "If you think that you can get me to accuse that innocent girl by making me feel jealous, you're wrong! She has nothing to deal with anything!"

"Let's go to sir Hiko and find out then." Sano said.

"No! We're not all going to leave Kenshin here. I told you already!"

"Look Missy, if you stay here and encounter the assassin you're not going to stand a chance! I know you want to stay with Kenshin but get real! You'll just get in the way!"

"I'm not saying I should be alone with Kenshin!"

"Hey, I'm not going to stick around with you and miss out going to Kyotou for this!" Yahiko said.

"Yes, you are." Sano said. Suddenly it fell silent.

"Hey—I think missy's got a point." Sano said.

"Huh?"

"I don't want to miss out anything too." Sano said, "So what do you say, we need to make sure Missy's safe, don't we?"

"Of course!" Kaoru insisted.

"And we don't want to miss out on anything…"

Yahiko shook his head, "Of course not!"

"Good. Then it's done." Sano pointed at her, "You go to Kyotou alone. That way you'll be away from the assassinations. Go to Hiko and ask him, that way you'll find out for yourself."

"Wh—At?!"

"I know I'm right already, so I don't really need to go. I can stay and help Kenshin fight this thing off. So can Yahiko."

Yahiko's eyes widened, "Hey--!"

"We'll let him pay for killing Ishimo and Yon-san." Sano said, "We'll be ready aid. We can fight and protect Kenshin!"

"How about that part of 'being in his way'?" Kaoru asked, rolling her eyes.

"That only applies to you-" Sano said, "Because he loves you!"

"Wha-?!"

"Plus." Yahiko said, closing his eyes, "You'd be the only one who cOuLd be kept hostage if you think about it."

"Hey-!"

"The road to Kyotou is safer by sea, like you took last time. Then you can land safely at the Aoya and recruit Misao and Sir Okina to help you on your journey. You're not that scared, are you Missy?"

"No, of course not! I'd do it for Kenshin! But—"

"What?"

"I'm afraid of what might happen to you two." She said softly, "I know I didn't want to leave Kenshin alone… but now… I see… this may be the best way to handle things."

"So it's agreed."

Kaoru nodded her head, "I guess it is...."

"It's almost late." Sano said, "There's enough time for you to head to the ship before the sun sets."

"I'm on my way." Kaoru said, "Take care you two… don't let your guard down."

"We'll watch your back until you fade off." Sano said, "I wouldn't want to be responsible if you got into trouble without us knowing about it. Kenshin wouldn't be happy with that."

"Ok-thank you."

"Let's get outside."

Once they were at the entrance where they had first arrived the afternoon before, Kaoru said goodbye again and hugged Yahiko. She turned towards Sano and stopped.

"I'm still angry at you, you know."

"Ok—how about a shake?" Sano said, "For mutual respect."

"I could do that." They quickly exchanged hands and bid farewell.

"I'll be back in three days. I'll try my best." Kaoru said.

"Whatever, just do it." Yahiko said, "We'll be waiting."

They watched her as she faded into the distance, as they promised.

------

Night fell, and only the burning torches from the outside illuminated the lonely town's fragile existence. Sano stood outside the entrance of the Mirameki hotel, waiting.

"I won't let him get away this time." Sano thought to himself, "If he comes, he's probably coming for Kenshin, and I won't let him have him so easily."

Within the Mirameki, Yahiko and Yuki continued to keep watch on Kenshin. Kenshin was now laid on a bed, which proved helpful. Signs of consciousness had not yet appeared, as Yahiko and Sano had expected.

"He must be tired." Yuki said, sipping some Jasmine tea in the corner, "He's not some ordinary man. People die from such injury…"

"Kenshin is too strong to die." Yahiko said, "He's been through worse."

Yuki smiled, "Is that so…?"

"Uh huh, but I'm not in the mood to get all conversational, we have to keep an eye out for the assassin."

"Yes, that is so." She paused, "So tell me, why is the hitokiri battousai wandering around with three unlikely members?"

"I said I'm not in the mood to talk."

"But you're such a sweet boy. I'm curious . . ." she blinked, "We got off on a bad start, but I want to make it up to you. I've got a keen eye on both the window and the door. If anything happens I'm prepared to defend our friend."

She pulled out a handful of Kunai, "These come in handy for swaying away any dangerous people. As soon as I throw it, it'll buy us time to react . . . that is, if anyone comes breaking in."

Yahiko took a deep breath, "I don't trust you."

Yuki made a soft expression and smiled serenely, "Why?"

"I've met people like you before." He said, "Your kindness is a façade. I can tell. You know nothing about Kenshin and the things he's done for everyone. If you did, you would stop hiding around the bush and tell us what you were doing that night; no matter what it was."

"You think someone who survived the revolution would do something as reckless as that?"

"You don't understand the situation! Someone's out there to kill innocent people and Kenshin is the only one who can stop him!"

"And why is that?"

"Look." Yahiko shook his head side to side, "You don't know Kenshin, you wouldn't be able to understand."

"Oh—but I do. Please tell…"

------

A scream echoed from the inside of the Mirameki. Sano looked up at the sky.

"What the hell?! I could've sworn I didn't see anything enter the Mirameki from outside!" he rushed inside the hotel and ran upstairs. Everyone in the inn, including the shopkeeper, was already phoning for the police. Now multiple screams were echoing off from everywhere, from scared residents of the hotel.

Sano burst inside the hotel room, to see a dark blue blur collide into Yahiko, causing him to fly through and break the window. Sano blinked… staring at the distorted room, blankets, sliced up pillows, broken chairs. What was happening? He looked to see the blur escape through the window, in hot pursuit of the air-borne child.

He found his voice escaping through his lips, "Ken—shin…" he looked at the bed to find it empty. "HuH?!"

CLASH

Sano charged to the broken window and peered outside. The flicker of the flames of the village reflected the assassin, in a dark blue kimono, with jet-black hair, his sword being blocked ferociously by Kenshin, bare from the waist up.

"Yea! Kenshin!" Sano heard himself screaming in joy.

The assassin leaped backwards from the block and did a backflip onto the rooftop of a smaller building. Kenshin likewise landed on top of another rooftop, where Yahiko was lying sprawled on the surface.

"Leave him alone!" Kenshin roared.

The assassin said nothing, however, charged straight at Kenshin,

"Battoujitsu!" Kenshin yelled, recognizing the attack. He made an upward strike, and a sound like thunder erupted as it broke up through the X-shaped battoujitsu attack. Suddenly both characters disappeared in a flurry of battle strikes.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Kuzo Ryuushen!" Kenshin yelled. Sano heard eight clashes, however, heard the blunt end of the Reverse blade hit its mark on the ninth attack. Sano saw the assassin leap away, bursting far from Kenshin, who now was visible yet again. Genuflecting upon the rooftop, his jet-black hair covering his face.

He swore that he saw the assassin's lips move, but he could not make out what he was saying. Suddenly he became a blur yet again.

Nine strikes yet again flew up unto the air, as the Kuzo Ryuushen was executed once again. This time, all nine strikes echoed across the distance.

"Yeah!" Sano cheered. His joy was cut in half as he saw Kenshin flying off the rooftop and landing on the ground.

"Damn it!" Sano said, "That's impossible! How can someone get Kenshin like that!" He found he had no choice but to follow the pursuit and leaped out through the window, up unto the building where Yahiko lay sprawled across the surface.

"You ok, kiddo?"

"Help—Kenshin…." Yahiko whispered weakly.

"I hear ya" He stood full height and looked at the assassin, whose face was covered with the darkness.

"Come on, you wuss!" Sano screamed.

"Com—ing…" The assassin hissed in a cold voice. Suddenly, he disappeared.

_I'm pretty sure if anything comes in contact with my Futae no Kiwami, it will be destroyed. _Sano thought, _that means---_ "ARGHH!" He knelt down and punched the roof from underneath him. All the debris flew straight into the air, acting as a barrier between him and the assassin.

"Umph!" The assassin cried, as the debris caught his chin from underneath. He was only a hairs width away from Sano before the debris started flying into the air.

"I used the same technique for a gattling gun!" Sano said triumphantly.

The assassin leapt away, and Sano could see drops of blood on the rooftop. _Maybe I can win this…_ he thought _I feel better than ever!_

Sano stood impressively, on top of the rooftop, ready as ever.

"I won't let you get to Kenshin any longer." Sano said, taking up a stance, "It ends now!" His eyes were still on the Assassin, whom was perched upon another rooftop about 40 feet away, looking at him.

_I'm pretty sure if I focus, I can follow the movement of his sword, no matter how fast it may be, _Sano thought, _After seeing Kenshin's Hiten Mitsurugi for who knows how long, I've already seen everything, so I should be able to counter it by now._

The assassin disappeared again. Sano followed the impulse of the energy.

Suddenly it was gone.

_He jumped behind me-_ Sano turned around just in time to see the X made of two swords. He grinned. He wasn't as fast as Kenshin, but he had already expected this kind of move, and he knew exactly what to do.

"FUTAE NO KIWAMI!" He screamed, focusing on the intersection between the two swords, performing an uppercut with his right hand. His knuckles connected upon target, sending both swords flying into the air, away from them. He smirked, still disappointed that he didn't break the swords instead.

If he had any thought that the battle was over, he was wrong. Before he knew it, his head was flying sideways from the elbow of the assassin.

"UmPh!" He said, landing. The assassin didn't stop there. He picked Sano up from the collar of his shirt and began punching his stomach repeatedly one punch after another. After, kneed his genitals, causing him to scream in pain.

The assassin pressed his open palm upon Sano's face and dug his fingers into his skull. Sano widened his eyes as next his foe brought the back of his skull smashing upon the rooftop, like Sano had used his futae no kiwami earlier to punch the roof before.

Sano's consciousness started to go blank as the assassin clung onto his throat and lifted him high above the ground, over the edge of the rooftop.

"You swine!" He heard him scream. But wait… didn't that voice sound familiar? It didn't sound like it was from a man. Was it… a woman?

"Who areyou?!" Sano managed to weakly groan.

Thunder erupted from the sky above, and for a split second, Sano saw the face of the assassin. Her lips perched upwards in an evil smile, her dark eyes staring mercilessly at his. His eyes widened, "No, it can't be…" and he passed out.

"Now you'll die." The assassin said, smirking, "…you street rat."

"NoT iN yOuR dReAmS, bUsTeR!" A strong voice called behind her.

She turned around.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu Suitsuzen!" Yahiko screamed, throwing all his focus and energy into his attack. The attack followed smoothly, and if it had not been that he was wielding a wooden sword, it would have sliced the assassin open. Instead however, the sword was the one that was split apart.

Afterwards, Yahiko fell, too weak to pursue any longer.

The assassin stood, stunned. Although it was a wooden sword, the blow that Yahiko had struck hit a crucial pressure point upon her neck. It cut the blood circulation flowing to her brain.

_In thirty seconds… I will die… _she thought, absent-mindedly throwing Sano back upon the rooftop. _This can't be… I can't…_

Her focus turned to Kenshin. _Must… kill… _she looked around, for where one of her swords had landed. Time was running out, and dark colors were swirling around her. She held her breath and looked upon the rooftop again as lightening flashed. There! It stood straight up, the blade dug deep into the rooftop. She limped towards it, lifted it from the roof, and leaped off weakly, yet quickly. Now she was on the ground closing nearer on Kenshin. She limped closer, as all the colors seemed to whirl around her. She was right above him.

"_Die…_" she said, and pierced the sword beneath her, and passed out.

------

Miss Kaoru looked upon the crashing waves upon the shores as she sailed upon the ocean beneath her. She promised her companions that she would arrive back to Yamasaki within three days. Now she started to wonder whether or not that kind of promise was possible. There were many things on her mind.

First was sir Hiko. She found to her surprisement that she began to worry whether he was still near Kyotou, or whether he was alive. It had not been that long ago that she last saw him, battling against the Goliath, Fuji. There was no doubt that he was powerful, but what if in fact that he had contracted a disease during this time, or worse?

Then there was the possibility of the fact that even if she did confront him, would he have an answer to the solution? Would he even allow her an answer? Did he even remember her? There were many other things that could be a problem. Traveling wasn't always safe without Kenshin, and who knows might've happened in Yamasaki while she was gone. She just prayed that nothing bad would happen.

The last thing brought the most fear to her heart. What happens if Sir Hiko did NOT teach anyone else the Hiten Mitsurugi style. What happens, if just somehow… Sanosuke was correct about Yuki? What if Kenshin really did murder her parents during the revolution? What if Yuki really wanted revenge? That would be just terrible

The next day, she would arrive in Kyotou. This was where the revolution had taken place almost 12 years ago. Would it be possible… to find an answer? Was she the only link that would determine the victory between Kenshin and the assassin?

She sighed, overcome by worry.

"Hey." A voice called out, "Don't I know you from somewhere?"

Kaoru twirled to find herself face to face with another woman. She blinked, "No, I don't think I've ever seen you before." Kaoru said, shaking her head.

"Hmm… that's funny." The woman said, "I remember being jealous about a girl that looked just like you, a long time ago." She said, "She had a close friend that sacrificed his life for her, when we captured her over seas."

Kaoru stood silent, not knowing how to respond to such an odd comment.

The woman squinted her eyes and turned around.

"I'm sorry." She said, walking away, "I hope a lot, nowadays. It's probably just because I think of Himura too much."

_Hi-Himura?!_

"WAIT!" Kaoru suddenly screamed, causing the woman to stop in her tracks, "Wait… are you… are you Shura?! The pirate girl from a while back…?!"

Shura turned around, "Hmm. I knew I saw you from somewhere." She made a nice smile, "How is Himura the battousai?"

Kaoru put her head down, "Well, the truth is… he's… in trouble." she said.

"Huh?" Shura's eyes widened, "What happened?"

"Two days ago an officer appeared at our Residence, claiming he had evidence that Kenshin murdered ten Shinsengumi the night before; near Yamasaki village."

Shura gasped.

"The few witnesses who survived the incident were slaughtered last night, when we and Kenshin visited Yamasaki to investigate for ourselves."

"Surely he didn't commit the assassinations…"

"Yes… yes, of course he didn't…" Kaoru said, sadly, "However, the assassin also uses the same technique as Kenshin, the Hiten Mitsurugi style."

"The Super sonic blade techniques…" Shura said, "Did he have a rival?"

"When the assassinations took place last night… Kenshin was also caught in the onslaught. He was barely revived by the sole survivor of the Yamasaki attacks."

There was a moment of silence.

"Surely Mr. Himura fought valiantly..."

"No… he was caught off guard. According to Yuki…"

"Yuki-?"

"The one who revived him. He was with her at the time."

Shura blanked out, "Oh… oh, ok. But that sounds awkward." Her face twisted, "Even when Mr. Himura was poisoned, he was able to ward me off when we first fought upon the ship. It doesn't make sense."

"Our friend Sanosuke thinks it's because of Yuki that Kenshin was caught off guard." Kaoru exclaimed, rushing her sentence, "Well, she's this seven-_tEEN_ year old _pRIn_-cess _who thinks she's all that because she's so beautiful and because she survived the revolution and…_"

"Woah… slow down… I hear ye- I hear ye-"

"Oh…" she put her hand over her mouth, "I hope I didn't sound jealous or anything…"

"It's natural." Shura said, smirking "So why are you here?"

"We're on a quest… I mean… I'm on a quest to find out the truth about this mysterious Hiten Mitsurugi figure." Kaoru said, "So I'm heading over to Kyotou to Kenshin's master in order to ask him if he taught another pupil in the past."

"I'll be sure to accompany you." Shura said, "Right now I'm returning from Hokkaido. I've been wandering around, trying to atone some of the sins I committed."

"Oh… I see."

"I will return to my homeland in one month… and I guess some people expect me to find a fiancée once I return so I can fulfill father's promise."

"Oh… ok…"

"What's wrong… you don't seem alright. Are you worried?"

"Yes… I have." Kaoru closed her eyes and made her best smile, "Oh well, it's ok. I'm sure everything will be over quickly. I mean… I'm positive."

Shura smiled too, "I have deep confidence in Himura. I'm sure he will overcome all obstacles he faces." She rose one of her eyebrows, "A long time ago, he did me a favor by saving my life. Now it's my turn to help him." She put her hand on Kaoru's shoulder, "I'll make sure you will travel safely to Kenshin's Master. You have my word."

_Now… _Kaoru thought _Now… is my journey… to uncover the truth…_

------

_Kenshin Ending Theme Song…_


	4. Finding the Exile

_Finding the Exile_

Yuki woke up as a hot towel was laid upon her forehead. Her eyes immediately shot open and she made a quick gasp, looking above her. Kenshin, in a white kimono, stood over her, holding the towel to her head.

"You're very lucky, that you are." Kenshin said, pleasantly, "One of your major pressure points were struck, you almost died from lack of oxygen to your brain."

"I… I…" she lifted her arm and pressed her right hand over the towel on her forehead, noticing that she was wearing the same white cotton kimono that Kenshin was wearing, "I… guess I should thank you." She said, finally, a tear dripping from her eye.

"You're very strong" Kenshin said, closing his eyes and smiling, "That you are."

"It doesn't make sense though." She said, "I thought I killed you… you must've rolled away at the last second… but still…" she closed her eyes, "Despite the fact that I almost killed your comrades, you still helped me. Why?"

"I will not let you die. I still don't know anything about you." Kenshin said, "Even as we speak, miss Kaoru is heading to Kyotou, that she is. She will find out if you had any prior training from the Hiten Mitsurugi Style."

"You saved me… urk…" she winced in pain, "But you still don't trust me… huh?" her eyes were still shut, "You're very clever, _that_, you are."

"Your Hiten Mitsurugi style was beyond anything I've ever seen before." Kenshin said, calmly, his eyes growing serious, however, his voice maintaining that same kindness, "You've put double the effort on your swords, I've noticed."

"Your single sword is no match for my double katana's." Yuki stated, chuckling with her eyes still closed.

"You stress too much power when you execute your strikes." Kenshin said, "and when you use the reverse end of your swords, you exhaust yourself by adjusting the angle just so it will not cut me. Also… you are over-confident." Her eyes slowly opened.

"Why did you take off my patches?" She said to him, looking at his eyes, "Did you get a thrill from changing me into _these _common clothes?"

"No… the inn-keeper is a nice old woman, she was able to assist your change of attire." He paused, "However… you shouldn't cover your face. You look much better without patches, that you do." He smiled.

"I know…" she said, narrowing her eyes and looking hostile towards him, "That's why I don't want you to take them off, I'll have you know. This beauty you see is just a disguise of how ruthless I am inside. I don't want you to get the wrong idea!"

"Can you move alright?"

"I'm… I'm still stiff." She said, "You're last move of the Kuzou Ryuusen hasn't rendered me impotent, I hope." She said, "I was expecting all the other attacks except that one. I didn't think you'd be so ruthless."

"A battle is a battle. There is no mercy when it's a fight to the finish."

"Why-- are you like that?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you soften the situation? You didn't use "death". You said 'a fight to the finish'. They are two different meanings."

"I made a vow never to kill again."

"That's stupid." Yuki pouted, "That's really stupid."

"Is that so?"

"No matter what you do, you can't atone for what you've done. Helping others won't bring back those you killed."

"I must ask you the same question. Why do you seek your parents murderer if you know that killing him won't bring them back?"

"You're dumb." She said again, "If you were really that determined to make up for your sins, you should have at least done something for those you killed. Like apologize to their families and accept your death penalty."

"I did not kill those people for pleasure." Kenshin said, "I never have. I was merely a soldier of war, fighting for my own beliefs. All those I have slain were slain for a reason. To destroy the shogunate and establish this era of the Meiji."

"You don't know anything!" she cried out, "My mother wasn't a soldier of the shogunate, but she died regardless!" tears flew from her eyes, "You bastard!" she screamed, "You probably don't even remember it! You liar! You didn't have to kill her, so why did you?!"

"There were many assassin's during the revolution." Kenshin said, "It would be wise to assume that I am not the only suspect… and also…" he paused, "I only remember killing one woman… and she was NOT your mother. I am sure."

"No. I remember. I saw your attack, I saw you move… I've seen you now. It's the same. You were the one who…"

"MISSY!" A knock came from the door, "Missy, are you alright?!" Sano suddenly rushed in the door, "Yahiko told me everything. He saw you look out the window and scream, and then as soon as he looked over…"

"Before he knew it he was knocked over several times and then the assassin got me as well and then sent him flying out the window." Yuki finished.

"HoW could you say that so CALMLY?!" Sano asked, "Are you ok?"

"…" she paused, "Why are you being so nice to me now?" Yuki said, trying to suppress a smile, but failed, "I hope you're sorry for what you did to me the other day."

Sano made a face, "Ah, I see, so you're still acting all stuck up."

Her grin widened, "Or is it because you finally see my true face?"

Sano closed his eyes, "As far as I'm concerned, you're as messed up as Shishio." He grunted, "You may look all flowery in the outside, but in the inside, you're a brat."

Her eyes widened intensely and stared at him, "_Come again?_"

They stared at each other, relentlessly. Suddenly, Sano turned around.

"Forget it, you're the same as before." He said, apathetically, leaving through the door, "I was only trying to help, but it seems like you're already back to normal."

"That's what I thought." Yuki said, as Sano closed the door.

She turned back to Kenshin, "I don't get it." She said, "He suffered major injuries from battle. Why is he up and going already?"

Kenshin smiled, "Sano isn't one to be taken lightly, that he isn't."

She made a face, "Stop smiling. It's cloying. You've killed my mother, and you're smiling like some &$$$ at me. Let me tell you I'll return you the favor once I look upon your dead body."

Kenshin's eyes suddenly narrowed, "Let me tell you I'm still deciding whether I should let you live or not."

"Don't act so noble. If you don't want to kill me then I'll kill you." She said, "You think you have everything under control, so you're smiling and acting so nice to me." She made an evil smile, "If I wasn't having so much fun beating up your friend, I would've noticed the little boy sneaking up on me and killed him as well."

"Your only true purpose is to scorn me." Kenshin said.

"It's payback for everything you made me go through." She said, "Nothing personal. I just want justice… afterall."

"What?"

"Believe it or not, we have something in common… a strong inclination to justice." She said, looking up at the ceiling, "Too bad that in order for justice to be served, so much has to happen to make you suffer."

Kenshin's eyes flared, "So you're saying you'll kill little children to make me suffer?! Is that your definition of justice?"

"YeS—all those children's deaths amount to nothing to you compared to the single death of my mother to me!"

"You're wrong."

"So what are you saying?! Are you saying you feel more pain for some stranger than I do for my mother?! How dare you!! Don't you dare lie to me or I'll kill your little girl-friend too."

"You say it's nothing personal… that you want justice. If that's your true philosophy then you belong in an asylum."

"No, if I belong to an asylum, you belong to hell, because you made me like this!"

"If you think killing children is justice… and if you think I'm the only one responsible for the path you chose, you are blind." He closed his eyes and stood up, "As soon as you're better, leave. I'll have no more words with you today."

She started laughing as he closed the door behind him.

------

"We've arrived" Shura said, as the ship docked on the shore of Kyotou, "It wasn't as nearly long as I thought. Unfortunately, Kyotou is such a big place. It'll be awhile before we can pin-point our position."

Miss Kaoru was still wearing her Kimono at the time. "Thanks for accompanying me on this trip."

"It's nothing. Hey, you should change."

"huh? But why?"

"We're going through Kyotou, you don't need to restrict your body movements with that elegant dress. Anything can happen when we head off to the woods to where Himura's master dwells.."

"You're right." She paused, "But still, we should head over to the Aoya first, Sir Okina and Misao will be able to help us find Sir Hiko Seijiro. We can rest over there before we head over to Kenshin's master."

"So you'll remain in that 'uniform'?" Shura grinned, she was wearing much looser clothing, "Ok, just try to keep up with me then."

"Don't worry, I'll do so."

They departed from the ship and began to journey to the Aoya.

_This road…I've walked down here before… _Miss Kaoru thought, _I think… it wasn't even a year ago that Kenshin… Sano… Yahiko… and I… we were together when we fought Shishio and the Juppengattena. Those were such horrible times. I can still remember the anxiety… the tension… it lasted for the longest time I can remember…_

"Is something the matter?" Shura asked.

"No… not really." She lied, "Let's hurry. I don't want Kenshin to be in any more danger. This side-trip isn't supposed to even take so long." Dramatic memories flooded her mind as they began to quicken their pace towards the Aoya.

They arrived at the Aoya by mid-afternoon. They had stopped to eat two times before hand. During this time, Miss Kaoru told Shura about all the adventures that Kenshin had had after their departure from her. Miss Shura was shocked to hear about the unexpected appearance of both Saitou and Shishio, and how they had both dramatically twisted into the tale of Kenshin from the past into the present.

"Himura is an awesome man" Shura had said, after Kaoru went through all the details, "You are quite lucky to be with such a fine and adept warrior."

Kaoru blushed, "I don't really think of him like that. I like Kenshin for who he is, not for his strength or his power. He's just… well… deep inside, he's a nice person who wants to see things straight. Always. And I like him because of that."

"I too, respect him for his unselfish merits."

As they neared the Aoya, they could hear the screaming of both Misao and sir Okina. Miss Kaoru took the honor of going to the door and knocking.

"Hello, Sir Okina, Misao? It's me, Kamiya Kaoru, from the Kenshingumi!"

"The… Kenshin-gumi?" Shura asked.

Before they knew it, the door opened, and Misao's face was visible to both of them, "Miss Kaoru?! Is that really you?" suddenly, for a moment, silence came across the Aoya. Then a loud eruption.

All four members of the Aoya jumped out to where she was, greeting her in a very friendly manner. Miss Kaoru blushed and introduced them also to Shura, who was an acquaintance of hers a long time ago.

"Nice to meet you." Shura said, happily, "It's been awhile since I've been able to get together with a few hearty comrades."

Sir Okina was the last to greet them. He was, by all means, no older than he looked like before. He was still full of great energy and compassion. Kaoru admired this trait, and hoped that Kenshin would also be as youthful when he came of old age.

"It's quite a pleasure to see you again, Miss Kaoru." He said, joyfully, "Would you like to party with us again before you tell us of your issues?"

"I'm sorry." Miss Kaoru said, "This is quite serious."

Sir Okina blinked, and suddenly he became serious, "Ok, I understand. Follow me." They were led up to a small, desolate room upstairs. When they arrived, they knelt down on a small table.

Suddenly the door opened and Kaoru gasped.

"Aoshi Shinamuri!"

But Aoshi wasn't like that what she had seen before. He was now wearing a black kimono, and holding a tea tray with three cups. Kaoru couldn't help but giggle. Aoshi actually looked like some sort of waiter.

"You're back." He said, to miss Kaoru, quite emotionlessly.

_Woa, who is he? _Shura thought, as Aoshi set down the tea tray in front of them and removed each cup of tea from the tray, placing it on the table, and then picking up the tray again. Then he stood up again, but he did not leave.

"We need to find Hiko Seijiro." Miss Kaoru exclaimed, "It's urgent. The story so far is that someone was found having the exact same technique as Kenshin, the Hiten Mitsurugi style. Kenshin says he didn't remember anyone else being taught the Hiten Mitsurugi, and he also exclaimed that he didn't think that his master would actually teach another pupil without informing him about it. So… we've come to double check."

"There is a man running around with a reverse blade sword that is pretending to be like Himura?" Mr. Okina asked, surprised.

"Yes." Shura said, "It seems that way, except it isn't a reverse blade sword. It's two swords. Also, this man isn't like Himura at all. He is truly a battousai."

"Oh… and who are you?"

"I'm Shura, an old acquaintance of theirs. I've decided to accompany Miss Kaoru, so she won't be in danger."

"That's not truly necessary." Okina said, "We have the members of the Aoya, whom are strong enough by themselves."

"I decided to come along with her as a favor to Mr. Himura, who saved my life about a year ago." She said. Aoshi turned to her.

"The battousai saved you, as well?"

"Yes." Shura looked at the tea, "He changed my life… forever."

Aoshi closed his eyes and smiled, "Yes… the battousai has a funny way of changing people. I do admit."

All of a sudden Kaoru felt a little jealous. Kenshin had changed the lives of both Aoshi Shinamuri, and Shura. Beyond that, he had also changed the ways of Zanza the bounty hunter, who was now Sano, and Yahiko Miyoji, the apprentice of Kaoru. But did Kenshin in any way effect the life of her? She thought back upon it…

"Miss Kaoru." Okina said, "Miss Kaoru… Miss Kaoru, this is the third time I'm talking to you, are you there?'

Kaoru blinked out of her trance, "Hmm? Oh, yes, yes, I'm terribly sorry about that." She blushed, "I was just thinking…"

"Yes…"

"Umm… about the situation. Kenshin's in danger. The rest of our friends are in Yamasaki near Tokyo right now and we are in desperate danger. Two days ago there were assassinations in the city that we witnessed in front of our eyes. Kenshin didn't even have a chance to do anything. The assassin attacked him first… with a double Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki… Using both swords. It engraved two solid marks on his chest… similar to the scar on his face."

"WHAT?! Incredible!" Aoshi said, surprised, "Using two swords… at once to use the Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki?! Astounding. This man is truly a match for the battousai…"

"I don't understand, it's just the same move used with two swords." Misao said, "It's just like the battoujitsu, isn't it?"

"No…" Aoshi said, "The timing for the Amakakeru Ryuu No Hirameki is much more beyond that. The timing with two swords requires the attacker to step up both times, both with the adjacent leg and adjacent sword, almost _instantaneously_ so that when the attack is performed, it is as if it happened at the same time."

"I see." Sir Okina said, "A double step performed within a split second."

"Also…" Aoshi said, "The way it works, the Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki is executed after the attack of the opponent. Which means…"

"Which means that he had to be twice AS FAST IN ORDER TO PERFORM IT ON KENSHIN?!" Miss Kaoru practically screamed.

"It depends on what strike the Battousai used." Aoshi said, sighing, "Knowing that pacifist… he probably didn't go all out in the beginning, so he probably just used one of his ordinary attacks."

"What do you mean?" Kaoru asked.

"He must have truly believed that whomever he was fighting wasn't really trained in the Hiten Mitsurugi style. But it is clear… he is."

"But from whom could he have been taught?!" Kaoru demanded.

"… You will have to find out how. I cannot see as clearly how… but… yes. It is clear that this man we are facing is truly a taught student of the Hiten Mitsurugi."

"One question." Okina said, "You forget Aoshi, this man wasn't using one blade, and at that, he wasn't even using Reverse blades." He looked towards Miss Kaoru, "How is Himura faring?"

"He would be dead, for sure." Aoshi said, "There is no way going around it."

"No." Miss Kaoru said, "When he was attacked… the assassin reversed both blades."

Everyone gasped, "Why?" Okina demanded.

"The person who took care of Kenshin… the day he was hurt… she used to live in the Revolution. She said… that it was probably reversed for a reason." She sighed, "Kenshin barely woke up… last time I saw him. I… I honestly didn't think… he would."

All members in the room sighed, "I see." Aoshi said, "This man is no ordinary man. You will have to stop him."

"Whoever is impersonating Kenshin knows what he's doing. So… we need to find Hiko Seijiro as soon as possible. Will you help us?"

"Yes. Sir Hiko's whereabouts are the same. Misao will be able to guide you on your way. If this is an emergency, you can count on us to help you. We all will do our best."

Miss Kaoru really didn't understand what that meant, but she nodded, "Thank you for your help." She bowed.

"Misao should be right below—" Aoshi started.

"NO NEEd! I heard EvEryThing!" Misao popped out.

"Misao!" Sir Okina practically jumped, "How many times--!"

"No need gramps, I heard everything." She grinned, "So what are we waiting for, let's go!"

"We're only here to accompany you." Shura said to Kaoru, "I'm afraid you'll have to face Kenshin's master by yourself… once we get there."

"I know… I was thinking about that when I was on the boat." She paused.

"Is there something you're afraid of?"

"Yes." She said, "Multiple things."

Misao and Okina looked at her sympathetically.

"Why?" Miss Misao said.

"I feel like… there may be something I might hear that I may not wish to know."

"Well, whether you want to or not, you will have to in order to save the battousai's life." Aoshi said, plainly, "Otherwise, you will never know."

"I'm just so afraid. You see… I remember what my friend, Miss Megumi said to me… the day after Kenshin defeated Shishio. She said… Kenshin's only a man, and he's been fighting for so many years. If he continues… he will not survive. Through a doctor's eyes… Kenshin is a man who is about to burst…" she started to cry, "from fighting… so… much…"

Everyone looked upon her, saddened. Even Aoshi, who was never really that compassionate, put a hand on her shoulder.

"Do not worry. Whomever the Battousai is fighting… he will not fight alone. You must hurry to Sir Hiko immediately and gather your information. Don't bother coming back here, it'll only waste time."

"But…"

"Miss Kaoru, if this new foe is even more dangerous than Shishio, merely because of the fact that this is the first time that Kenshin is fighting someone at his own level, with perhaps the same exact training… you must consider your time! You must not spend anymore here! Follow Misao and go to Sir Hiko now!"

Miss Kaoru was still wiping her tears.

Shura stood up, "Come on, no more crying. And it's time to change."

Miss Kaoru looked up at her.

"You can't be wearing that Kimono any longer. Come on. It's time."

------

"Kenshin…" Sano said, seeing Kenshin resting on the chair, "Hey, you've been sleeping there for ten hours. Wake up—" He shook Kenshin a little.

"Kenshin." He shook again, "Hey… are you ok?"

Kenshin didn't respond, "Hey… Kenshin. Don't play with me now." He felt his arm… it was cold and pale, "Hey… hey…" he put his finger on Kenshin's neck and felt a weak pulse, "Kenshin. Kenshin!"

Then he heard a voice, "I told him I wouldn't… but for some reason I will have to break that promise anyways."

Sano turned around, "Huh?"

Miss Megumi stood right in front of him, "You haven't been back for almost three days. I knew something had happened."

"Oh…" Sano narrowed his eyes, "Will he be alright?"

"He's… not that bad. But his body is stressed." She felt his pulse, "I only came here right now… he's really weak, but I suspected this. What happened?"

"He was knocked out two days ago… and then last night, when Yahiko and I were being attacked, he forced himself up and tried to fight against the assassin again. He was in such a rush that he leapt outside and since his kimono was still messed up from the day before, he fought without the top of his kimono."

Megumi covered her mouth, "It was snowing last night, and it was cold!" she said, "Was he struck?"

"Yes… but only from a reverse… or two reverse ends of swords."

"He's really weak now. But he will recover. Give me some hot water. He needs to be in a tub of hot water, now!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Sano said, and rushed off.

------

It was now nightfall, and the gang had finally reached the appointed place. The old hut was still out… the same hut that they remembered from the day before. This was where Sir Hiko lived.

"I'm ready." Miss Kaoru said. She went up to the Hut and knocked on the door. There was a very long silence before they heard a voice inside.

"What is it?" They could hear sir Hiko's voice from inside the hut.

"Sir Hiko Seijiro, It is I, Kaoru Kamiya, a… friend of Kenshin."

"Kenshin?" The door suddenly opened, and Sir Hiko stood before them, his white cape still fluttering in the wind , "Yes, I remember you. You are the girl who fought against the Juppengattena before I came to help you." He turned to Misao, "Yes, and I remember you too." He turned to Shura.

Shura bowed, "I am also a friend of Himura…"

"I see." He looked at them.

"Stupid Apprentice…" Hiko grinned, "Since when has he had the pleasure of getting so much ladies beside him these days?"

"Hey--! We're not here to joke." Misao said, pleadingly.

"I know." He paused, "It's just that… I hope that women haven't been able to weaken him too much." They were about to protest angrily until he said, "That is what almost made him die ten years ago…"

"What?!" They all blinked.

"Maybe one of Kenshin's greatest weaknesses is the fragileness of a woman." He paused, "He was in love with one of the most lovely girls before… and it destroyed him later." he paused again, longer, "It scarred him."

Now all of these young women were crowding around him, waiting for more, anxious of the knowledge that was known to him that they did not understand.

"Are you talking about… how he got his scar?" Miss Kaoru was on the brink of tears again, "What…?"

"I must warn you all not to get too close to my apprentice." He said, "This is of my best regards towards my apprentice, I hope you understand."

"Sir… I don't mean to interrupt… but Kenshin is in great danger, and since he wasn't in the condition to come here himself, he sent me to ask you something."

"What happened now?"

"He wanted to ask you… if… if…" she paused, "He wanted to ask you if you had, in the past, ever taught someone else the Hiten Mitsurugi style."

Hiko stood, looking at them. For a moment, Kaoru had a strange impression that he was ready to close the door in their face, and the question would never be answered.

"Why does he ask?" Sir Hiko questioned.

"In Yamasaki city, near Tokyo, there have been recent massacres… led by one who claims to know the Hiten Mitsurugi style. And… it's not Kenshin."

"In that case…" Sir Hiko paused, "I will answer your question." He narrowed his eyes, "Yes, I did."

------

_Kenshin Ending Theme Song…_


	5. The Story of Yuki

_The Story of Yuki_

Sir Hiko beckoned them to come inside, where a strong fire was being fueled from a neat fireplace. They sat on the table, across from him, looking intently at him.

"There was a young woman who I found running up Mount Hiyae, blinded by tears. She collapsed, blood all over her, and I was afraid that she would die. But then I realized that she wasn't covered in her blood, but that of someone else. So I took her near the waterfall and lay her there, until she would awake."

"A young woman…" Kaoru blinked, "Covered… in blood?"

"When she woke up, she found me standing over the waterfall, looking away from her. I told her that she was safe, and that she should go back where she came from." He had a cup of sake in his hand, and he sipped it at the moment, "She told me that her mother had been slain in front of her. And she started crying again."

"Wait, what does this--?" Misao began.

"Don't you see? She said she wanted justice, she said she wanted to kill the man whom slaughtered her parents. She said he slaughtered everyone in her family that night. She was the only one who was spared."

"It wasn't until she said that the assassin who killed her family had a cross-shaped scar… that I began to see what had happened." He grit his teeth, "I knew right away that it was my apprentice. At first, I wanted to find him myself, and destroy him. But then, this girl was willing to learn from me. The Hiten Mitsurugi style. She had heard of me from somewhere, I have no idea how. It turned out she was running towards me all along. At the time, I truly believed that my apprentice had become a murderer, so I trained her, hoping she would bring an end to his reign as the battousai."

Miss Kaoru's eyes widened, "How old was she?!" she suddenly said, quite strongly, "You said she was a young woman… but surely… surely she was younger than ten? Was she six?"

"No. She was only five years younger than my apprentice at the time. She had outmost potential for her age. A will that was similar to my apprentice as well. She vowed to bring down the assassin. I trained her for five years, but by that time, the revolution was already far from over, and I hoped that she would finally come to peace with herself. She was a very pure, innocent, young woman. But then…"

"What happened next?" Shura asked.

"When she was seventeen, her skills had surpassed that of even Kenshin's the last time I saw him. Before I knew it, she had learned all that I could teach. And she wished to learn the last move… the Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki."

"When I questioned her, she demanded that she would be satisfied forever once she learned the attack that could render anyone helpless. I told her that it was beyond murder, and that the act itself of teaching her the Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki would end my life. But she didn't care. She told me that she still wanted to destroy my apprentice. But she didn't know that he was thought to be dead. He was rumored to have died right after the revolution. When I told her this, she was outraged. After telling her that I had only held it in so that she wouldn't know the truth, and that I thought she was ready now to accept it, it changed her."

"The next day while I was drinking sake, she assailed upon me. We fought for about an hour, running around the forest and jumping off trees. She had truly learned the skill and had been holding back her true potential from me all this time. After she had told me all the pain I caused her, and how she really wanted to kill my apprentice, I knew I had to end her life. I used the Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki on her, but since I didn't have the heart to destroy her completely, I had only used the sheath of my sword. I was almost certain she was dead, so I laid her on the waterfall, where I left her five years ago. The next day, she was gone."

"Wait, so why did you just leave it at that?!" Kaoru demanded.

"When I saw she was gone, I thought there was a possibility that she could still be alive, so I went in search for her. Later… I heard from rumors in town that she was stolen from the waterfall from some slave traders, and that while dead, she was sexually raped. But when I searched for the rumored slave traders, I found no trace of them whatsoever. It was a pity. I felt guilty about what I had done… but I realized that she was dead from the beginning. Her mind… I realized, was only for revenge."

Miss Kaoru was trembling.

Shura looked at her, "Things like these always happened a long time ago. There were worse cases before the Meiji Era and the Revolution…"

Miss Kaoru was still trembling. Finally, she said, "Who was your apprentice?"

"Mirami, Shiai." He said, "But I gave her another name, and since back then I had the impression I had to make something that Kenshin would recognize, I named her something that I knew would strike Kenshin immediately. I gave it to her so it would knock some sense on my apprentice."

"Another name…?" Kaoru froze. Her blood started to quicken.

"I gave her the name of the woman who had scarred Kenshin ten years ago." He looked at Kaoru straight in the eyes, "Yukishiro."

------

Kenshin's eyes opened.

"Miss… Megumi?" He muttered, seeing a blurry image of her above him.

"Sir Ken." She said, quite angrily, "Why do you keep fighting?"

"I'm sorry… that I am." Kenshin said, "My enemy… truly knows the Hiten Mitsurugi skill. My opponent… surpasses that of the battousai…"

Suddenly the door opened, "Hey!" Sano shouted, "Where's miss Yuki? She's gone!" Yahiko was right behind him.

"Yeah, I thought she was majorly injured from before. What happened to her?"

Kenshin shook his head, "Don't worry, she'll be ok." He said, "She'll be ok… two more days…"

Miss Megumi looked at him, "NO!" she practically screamed, "You're not even in good health yet. What do you mean two days! You don't intend to fight the assassin again."

"I already…"

"No! Sir Ken, I will not allow you! Even if it means drugging you! I will not let you fight again! Your body is in critical condition, you are not in any—"

"Don't worry." Sano said, "Kenshin will be—"

"NO! At least two weeks!" Miss Megumi said.

"But by then, the assassin will already have killed more people" Sano said.

"Then warn the entire city! Surely they'll plan something!"

"What are you talking about?! Are you suggesting that I…"

"Yes! YOU! Otherwise, you'll have to just leave them all in danger. You have to bring up the issue and make sure everyone stays safe during the night in order to prevent the assassinations."

"There's no way. Kenshin is gone"

"Yes, there is a way." She pushed him out the door with her.

"H-hey!" Yahiko protested.

"Stay with Kenshin!" Megumi ordered him, "Let me knock some sense into this guy!" she pulled him over far far away from the building to an isolated area.

"You can do something."

"How?!"

"Contact the police."

"The… police?!"

"You know what I mean."

"What do you mean, I've got no idea!"

"We need _his_ help. If there's anyone else who can help us, it's him, and you know who I'm talking about."

Sano froze, "No WAY!"

"From last I heard, Sir Saitou was reported in the head of the department. All we need is to telegraph him."

"Noo!"

"Yes! Otherwise—"

"I doubt he'll help us again!"

"Why don't you tell him who we're up against? I bet he will be ThRiLlEd. Also, although he's Kenshin's arch-rival from the revolution, he _was_ the leader of the Shinsengumi. He'd be happy to avenge his fallen comrades."

"I… I…" he paused, "Fine! But this is the one and ONLY time I'll be doing this." He grit his teeth, "Although he helped us fight against Shishio, he's still a man that I'd hate to acquaint myself with."

Miss Megumi smiled, "Good. At least you'll feel much safer at night."

Sano sighed, "Give me a break."

A sudden voice appeared, "Tell me about it."

Miss Megumi and Sano turned around, surprised, to find Yuki, crossing her arms and closing her eyes, "That freak from the Revolution? You've gotta be kidding."

------

"Who… is Yukishiro…" Miss Kaoru asked.

"Now tell me." Hiko said, "Before I say anything else. What is the situation? How is my apprentice?"

"I'm sorry." Miss Kaoru said, "I should have told you…"

"When the rest of the Kenshin-gumi went to Yamasaki village, we met a woman in patches. She said she had lived in the revolution and her mother was killed by an assassin she could not remember. She claimed that she was 17, and that her name was Yuki. Do you think…"

"It may only be coincidence." Hiko said, "Tell me about the impersonator."

"He knows… or _she_ knows… the Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki… with double katana's."

Hiko's eyes widened, "How would you know?"

"Kenshin was hit with it. And he passed out."

"With that kind of attack, he would be dead. So it obviously is not--"

"No. The blades were reversed ... for that purpose" Kaoru said, stronger, "She didn't want to kill him… yet."

"Reversed…" Shura and Misao echoed.

Sir Hiko stood still, "No. She was dead. It cannot be."

"I'm sorry…" Kaoru was trembling, "I'm just as shocked…" she continued to tell him the entire story, from when they first met Yuki to the day when she was left with Kenshin. Now it was Sir Hiko's turn to be impressed.

"Stupid Apprentice…" he muttered again, "There's no more time." He said, suddenly, "We have to begin _now_."

"What do you mean?" Miss Kaoru said.

"What is that strapped upon your back?" Hiko said, "It's a sword, is it not?"

"…uh-?!" she gasped, touching the hilt of her wooden sword.

"Hopefully, you know the basics." He said, seriously, "Otherwise, It would take longer than a week."

"Sir-! What are you--?"

"There is no more time. We must go to the waterfall, now. Your training begins in five minutes from now."

Shura and Misao blinked, "How about us--?"

"Sorry." Hiko said, "Only one student at a time. This girl is the true friend of my apprentice… I could tell from the first day I saw her." He looked at her, "You are the reason why he desires to live."

Kaoru blushed, "Sir---"

"You have finally settled the anguish in his heart. A true sword has a sheath… but a true warrior has a shield, the partner of the sword that he wields.

ONE WEEK LATER---

Saitou sighed, "I don't see any promise, boy." He said to Sano, "I've been here for six days and seven nights, and I still haven't seen the assassin that you speak of."

"Look, you don't have to look at me." Sano said, "You saw Kenshin. You know that the assassin is real."

Saitou laughed, "I didn't think such a man would be that intimidated, but then again, I am the Wolf of Mibu. They have every reason to fear me."

"I'm pretty sure if the assassin could take the battousai down, he would have almost no trouble doing the same to you." Yuki said, from behind them.

"Oh, it's miss conceited again." Sano said, grumbling.

Saitou looked at her and laughed, "All of you think of the battousai too highly. Then again, I shouldn't even call him battousai. He's now merely Kenshin Himura, a man who has gone soft after the revolution."

"How ironic, calling me conceited, after hearing Mr. Saitou from the revolution." Yuki said back to Sano.

"The Shinsengumi were always feared during those times." Saitou said, smiling, "I'm sure you can understand, _survivor_."

"Actually, I wasn't afraid at all." She said, "One of my friends was in the Shinsengumi. His name was Okita."

Saitou glanced at her, and she stared at him back. "Oh, is that so?" he paused, "It was a pity, his disease. I'm pretty sure you've heard."

"Yes. I felt sad for him."

"Anyhow." He combed his hair with his hand, "It's over."

"He told me of the battousai." She said, "Before he died, that is."

"He was quite popular at the time." Saitou said.

"What did he say?" Sano demanded.

"He told me about his style… the … Hiten Mitsurugi."

"So THAT'S how you knew about it before!" Sano said, "Why didn't you say so earlier? Who's this Okita guy you speak of?"

"He's dead." Saitou said, "He was my apprentice."

Sano blinked. "Oh…"

Yuki glanced at them, "I don't know, Sir Saitou." She said, innocently, "The way I perceive the situation, the assassin may just be analyzing his opponent before fighting him."

Saitou grinned, "Now THAT, would be a good idea. However, now that the battousai is healing, he should attack soon before both of us assail upon him."

"I've been training all week." Sano said, proudly, "I've done it for Yahiko, because he won't be able to fight, and I promised him I'd smack that assassin good." He grinned, "I can use the Futae no Kiwami with everything except my left leg."

"Idiot." Saitou said.

"HuH?!"

"You shouldn't give away your weaknesses. Now even _I_ know about it. You're careless, did I mention that?" He grinned, "And even if you did improve, you'd be nothing compared to the assassin."

Yuki also smiled, "You seem quite confident." She said, "Sure, we're smiling about it right now, but let me tell you when the assassin shows we will all be more tense then ever. Well… except me, that is."

Saitou glanced at her, "According to statistics, your luck is up." He said, "Just because you've survived all this time… don't think you don't have it coming to you."

"Is that why you've been guarding me more than everyone else?"

"Yes." Saitou said, "The assassin hasn't killed you yet, which is very unlikely. He may want to settle the score first with you when he strikes next, so I've been taking the safest pre-caution for your sake." He put his hands to his lips and closed his eyes, "You should consider yourself in debt."

_Man…_ Sano smiled… _I can't believe it, but I see what he's saying. He's been thinking like me all along, that somehow the assassin might be related to this girl. Saitou's no fool! He's got the rat in the hole, all right. Yes!_

"What are you smiling about, boy?" Saitou suddenly asked.

"Oh… nothing… nothing at all." He flashed a smile at Yuki, and she sighed loudly.

------

Kaoru screamed, spinning a 360 in the air before landing face first into the water of the river.

"You're lucky that the water is deep today." Sir Hiko said.

Kaoru stood up, water dripping from her training uniform, panting, "You're too fast…" she panted, "I can't… keep up…"

"No excuses. Before, you couldn't even block one strike. Now you can block five, I'd say that's a big improvement."

She held up her wooden sword, "I told you before, I only use the Kamiya Kasshin style to fight. I do not intend to learn any of the Hiten Mitsurugi."

Hiko grinned, "You've already learned more than you could imagine." He smiled, "Again, come at me!"

She rushed, all she saw was a blur as she accelerated to her maximum speed. She rose her training sword over her head and—

"Ahh!" she found herself falling into the water again.

"Faster!" Hiko said, "Your lunge isn't calm enough. It's full of too much force, your heart is beating too hard, your breathing is too deep. All of these break the flow of your speed. Disregard all of them!"

She rose again, holding her wooden sword.

"You cannot concentrate upon an attack if you aren't focused. Now strike, again!"

She waited until she found her impulse, like he had told her before, and lunged.

_"As soon as your impulse to strike awakens within you…" he had said before, "That is the time to strike… leave no split second in between the interval. Your impulse and attack should be one… and the same. Trust your mind, and your body will perform automatically. A true swordsman trusts his mind, and knows what is best to do through impulse." _

She didn't know why it came so naturally to her this time. Later on she guessed it was because of the fact that she had seen that exact same expression on Kenshin's face whenever _he _fought, so much, that she was able to emulate the exact same feeling upon herself.

For some reason, Sir Hiko was approaching much faster towards her now. Her legs had caught on such a fast pace, that her acceleration burst forth as strong as an explosion, sending her closer to him ever faster than before.

Suddenly she splashed upon the water yet again.

When her head surfaced again, she spit out the water from her mouth, "Oh… it's helpless." She said, "I knew I'd…"

Sir Hiko laughed.

"What's so funny?!" She asked him, "Am I really that pathetic?" she was about to cry at that moment, all that frustration hit her harder than before.

Sir Hiko laughed louder. Kaoru's eyes started to water.

"I'm sorry…" he said, chuckling, "It's just that I didn't expect I would use the battoujitsu in order to stop your attack."

Kaoru's heart suddenly rose, and she suddenly felt warm all of a sudden. Now the tears gathering upon her eyes fell, but not out of anguish, but of pure happiness.

"You mean…" she paused, "You used the battoujitsu?!"

Hiko Seijiro grinned, "Just consider yourself lucky it wasn't the Amakakeru Ryuu No Hirameki."

Kaoru smiled, "Then I'm set?" she asked him, "Am I ready—"

"No." Hiko's smile vanished, "You are still of no use to my apprentice." He said, coldly, "You're progression was fast, but not nearly as fast as I hoped."

Kaoru's mouth dropped, "I've only had three hours of sleep this entire week and you still don't think after all those squats with the two water buckets upon my shoulders… of trying to stand with one foot upon the wooden peg for almost two days, which I finally got, and getting slammed by your sheath made out of bamboo more than 500 times already, you don't think…"

"From the squats, you've increased your explosive speed when you lunge. From standing on the peg, you've learned how to master the art of concentration. And… from all those attacks you've been hit with, you've learned perseverance, and what to expect an attack from a sword to be like."

"Those 500 different strikes were all the different various ones from the Hiten Mitsurugi, correct?"

"Those are the 500 basic strikes. There are over 1000 more if your opponent may counter those attacks in any series of ways."

"This is crazy…"

"For example, while I do my Battoujitsu, in slow motion, dodge it and follow up with something."

She did as she was told, and suddenly she found herself falling in the water again.

"You need more blocking practice." He said.

"But you already showed me… all the strikes…" Kaoru protested.

"I've only performed the 500 strikes once. You need to see it at least 100 times more before you'll be able to learn them fully! Let's begin."

"Oh nooooooooooo!" Kaoru screamed, as she tried her best to block all the merciless attacks of Sir Hiko.

------

"I want a rematch." Sano said, as he found Saitou smoking under the moonlight, "I need to test my skills, how they've improved."

"Another fist fight?" Saitou asked, chuckling, "Are you sure?"

"I'm totally." Sano said, "I vowed I would beat you."

"I'm sorry." Saitou said, "That will never happen, and you should know so."

"Not with my… Futae no Kiwami!" He rushed at Saitou

"What a fool." He dodged Sano's attack easily and quickly moved aside from Sano's other hand and foot as it began to execute a finely well thought out combo.

"Quite a move." Saitou said, dodging the 14th attack, "You must've been thinking about it this whole week!"

"True!" He said, using all his limbs at once.

"No use." Saitou said, dodging his one attack at once and chopping him down to the floor. Sano lay, panting.

"Hey—hey—" he panted, "Why—why didn't it work?!"

"Imbecile." Saitou said, "All I have to do is look at your shoulders. Your every move is most predictable." He paused, "Your speed is fine, but your attacks are aimless. I only have to move a centimeter to reduce the damage by half, and it only takes three centimeters in order to dodge it."

"Thanks… I'll… keep that in mind."

"Also, find a new move. Your opponent will be expecting every one of your attacks. A new move will help you."

"My last move was—though!"

"Too easy to dodge." Saitou said, "Here, do something like this—" He rose his hand up into the air…

------

Kaoru screamed again and fell face first into the water.

She scrambled up again, "Brr, it's freezing now." She commented.

"Out of the 500, you can now block 186 successfully." Hiko said, disappointedly, "That's less than 50 percent." He told her, "You need three more days."

Kaoru stood up, she was now even more beat up then ever. She didn't know what made her so strong to go through all this training. The whole week, she had been hiding her sores, and all the aches upon her body.

"Four more days." Hiko said, changing his mind, "You're fortunate. I'll let you rest in my cabin tonight."

Kaoru's mouth watered, "Re-really?! But sir…"

"You need a days worth of recuperation so you could focus better." He said, seriously, "Sleep your heart out, but remember, as soon as you wake up…" he paused, "Training will commence, and it will be harder."

Kaoru bowed.

"I will stay outside tonight, and meditate." Hiko told her, "Go, now."

Kaoru thanked him and limped to the hut. All she remembered afterwards was that she couldn't believe what was happening to her.

She continued boldly even when she thought she would pass out. Whenever she fell in the water, she breathed gently in the water to rejuvenate her energy. But she couldn't understand what made her push so hard, like never before. Even now, her body was trembling, and she could barely stand to face Hiko Seijiro. But… as she drew closer to the cabin's bed, she figured all this power… it was… from Kenshin.

She fell face first into the futon and everything became black

------

"Better" Saitou said, as Sano lunged more powerfully, "You have to adjust your attacks as soon as you see me move. Correct!" Saitou side-stepped quickly and slid with his foot back two meters, still in stance.

"One last thing." He paused, "Don't try too hard. You tend to miss things right under your nose when you do that."

"Saitou, use your sword." A voice called over from the window, "Use it with the sheath. It will help Sano, that it will."

Saitou looked back at Kenshin, "He wouldn't last a second." He exclaimed.

"So he would with two swords against him." Kenshin said.

Sano gulped, "What are you talking about?! OF course I could. All I have to do is dodge his attacks and then disarm him! Then I'm all set!"

"Fool." Saitou said, "You are far from it." He picked up his sword with the sheath still on, "Gatotsu!" He caught Sano on the left shoulder and pushed him back.

"ARGHH!" Sano cried out, falling over.

"Too slow." Saitou said, "Get up."

"You've gotta be kidding." Sano said, gasping, "You expect me to…"

"The assassin may be faster." Kenshin called out.

"Fine." He stood up, "I got it now. Let's go!"

Saitou grinned.

------

_Kenshin Ending Theme Song…_


	6. Preparation Before it Rains Hell

_Preparation before it Rains Hell_

The boat went across the water, quickly and efficiently. The woman standing outside the plank, dressed in a black cloak, looked over the ocean, anxious to arrive at the appointed destination.

Her mentor walked up to her, and stopped. There was a moment of silence.

"You didn't have to come, you know." She said, "I know you're good, but you're getting older… I don't want to see you in danger."

"It's alright. I feel that it is also my responsibility."

"Do you think she'll return to the Aoya?" Misao asked, behind her cloak, "You don't think she'll stop by, do you?"

"No, I don't believe so. She is training now with Himura's master."

"Gramps…" Misao paused, "You don't intend to fight the assassin, do you?"

"I told her…" Okina said, "We will all do what we can. It's about time we return the favor that Himura gave to us."

"Don't worry." Another man stepped out into the plank, "I will challenge him first." Aoshi blinked in anticipation, "Otherwise, I would be a fool to pass up a chance like this."

Shura stepped onto the deck as well, "I may not be the strongest fighter, but I do owe Himura one. He saved my life, and what's more, he changed it."

"If we all attack at once, it'll be better. You can lead the other members of the Aoya when you attack. An all out attack will be effective, no doubt." Okina said.

"Do you really think Himura will need all of our help?" Misao asked trivially, "He could probably take down this assassin by himself."

"Perhaps." Okina said, "But right now, his body may not be in good condition. We need to be there in order to buy him some time if we can."

"I will _definitely _fight this assassin." Aoshi said, "Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki or not, I've strategized all counters for the assassin's attacks."

"The assassin will be strong." Okina said, "We all must be ready."

------

It was dawn. Sano panted, sweat drenched all over his body.

"Good, you can dodge all my strikes now." Saitou said, "Get some rest. We'll do this again the following night… if you're up to it."

"You bet I am!" Sano said, limping away, "I'll be even _stronger_ than before!" he started walking back to the inn to rest.

At that time, Yuki opened the entrance of the inn's door and looked at Sano as he approached, shielding her eyes from the sun.

"What have you been doing?" she asked the two men.

"He had a score to settle." Saitou informed her, "But he's learned his lesson."

"You got that right!" Sano said, passing through Yuki and into the Inn, "Wait until tonight!" he called out. Saitou began to laugh.

Yuki stared at them. As soon as Sano closed the door behind him, she was still outside. She faced Saitou.

"Is it true?" she asked, "He can dodge all your strikes now?"

"No." Saitou said, "But he can avoid them."

"Can I have this special training?" Yuki asked, "I always wanted to be in the martial arts."

"No. You are merely a sheep. You'll be watched over, don't worry." Saitou paused, "And as for me, I'll have to be resting as well. I have a fight, tonight… that I must attend to."

Yuki made a face, "Ok, come in."

------

"346! Have I taught you nothing?!" Kaoru took a breather out of the water once again.

"I…"

"Pick up the buckets. 20 repetitions. Than I want you to do hand-stand push ups, 20, then 20 buckets, then 20 hand-stand push-ups again, for 20 times. Go!"

She began, but after the first round, her entire body had gone numb, and she fell down. While her head was submerged in the water, she breathed deeply, releasing her pain, trying to gain energy just like last time. Then her face emerged to face him.

"Again! Once more! Don't give up, do you give up on my apprentice that easily?!"

"No!" She stood up, and began her next set. Her arms were burning, her legs were on the verge of bursting… _10 more…_ she said to herself, _5 more… just 19 more times, I can do it…_

Next was the peg… which she fell off about 200 times… she needed to stand upon it for an hour, but on the first tries she couldn't pull more over 5 minutes. But as she continued her daily training, her maximum limit went up to 30 minutes. Then in the afternoon… seven days later after she had begun… she had succeeded.

_Smack Smack Smack! _Getting hit again and again, Sir Hiko's movements, they had been continuing for so long that even now all his strikes seemed to be repetitious and easy to detect. But yet, although she detected it, they kept hitting her over and over again, and she felt like such a fool.

She lunged at him, thirty times, the best she had ever done in her life, each time, falling down. Then he laughed at her, after her last attempt. And he said he was laughing, because he never expected to use the battoujitsu in order to stop her.

--- sweat dripped down her neck and slowly, she opened her eyes---

"I'm… I'm awake." She finally said.

She realized she had been dreaming the entire time. Dreaming about the training prior. Miss Kaoru took in a breath and sighed.

"I'm… awake…" she said again.

"Yes, you are." Sir Hiko said, approaching toward the window, looking at her, "It's time. Are you ready?"

"May I rest for one more hour, sir?" She asked politely.

"Then two more hours extra training." Hiko said.

"Thank you… so much…" she closed her eyes again, and then she started to think about Kenshin.

------

Yuki was walking across the street, to the daily Izure Midori, when she noticed someone waiting for her, plopped upon the seat placed near the entrance of the bar.

"Hello." Kenshin said, nicely, but with a serious face.

"Hello." She said, coldly, with no emotion inscribed on her, "Is there something wrong?"

"I still have to recover a bit more before I can fight again."

"I see."

"Since it seems like you've got some free time, I was implored to ask you something."

"Which is?"

"Are you aware of Yukishiro?"

"Yukishiro?"

"Your name is Yuki. But truly, that can't be your real name. It was adopted, wasn't it?"

"How would you know?"

"It's more of an impulse," Kenshin said, standing up from his chair, patting his samurai kimono, "That it was either adopted, or you had chosen it."

"What do you mean?" she snickered at him wickedly, "Does it matter? It carries no significance whatsoever. It was given to me by a stupid man who found me after my parents died."

"I see." Kenshin blinked, but did not change his expression, "He was a good man."

"Yes… I guess so." Yuki stared up at the sky, "I owe him… I will probably find him some time before I die and thank him."

Kenshin looked ahead, saying nothing.

"Now you know." She said, breaking the silence "Don't think it snuck out secretly. You may go."

"No, I do not feel like I've learned what I came here to learn." Kenshin said, "You still haven't answered my question. Are you aware of Yukishiro?"

"You came here to learn my status, you're aware of it now."

"No, it wasn't that. I wanted to know if you knew about Tomoe."

"Yukishiro, Tomoe." She said, finally, sighing, "That has nothing to deal with me."

"You are not her relative. She had a brother that referred to her as a mother."

Yuki laughed at him, "Are you saying I'm a man? Why, do I need to perform…" she paused, "Would you like to stay with me one more time in that hotel for me to detest you again?"

"Her brother's whereabouts are unknown, I have yet to find him." Kenshin ignored her last statement, "I wanted to emphasize that Tomoe was the only woman that I killed. After her, I vowed never to kill again after the revolution."

"You will have to break that promise… eventually." Yuki told him, "Because you may not have realized it from your flurry of attacks, but my father was long ago part of the shogunate. One night, during the revolution, he was departing home when an assassin struck. My mother defended him, but they both died at the end. I was at the entrance when it happened."

Kenshin blinked, "I was merciless towards the shogunate… it is possible." He stopped, "But I never just killed random people. I always killed in hopes to support the revolution. If that is the way things turned out, I apologize, but the Tokugawa Era was corrupt, and in order to fix it, it had to be brought down. Everyone involved with the shogunate was not spared. I'm sorry."

"No one could forget your cross-shaped scar." Yuki said, "No one could forget the way you sliced through my parents." She bit her lip, hard, "In a split second, my life was turned upside down. And there was nothing I could do about it."

"The Shogunate's ideals were not pure." Kenshin said, "Anyone affiliated with a wicked crime deserves to be punished. No matter how nice your parents were to you, they were advocates to a much greater crime that needed to be wiped out… THAT it did."

"Although you try to repent for those you murdered, you believed in your ideals and thought that what you were doing was pure. But it wasn't, you were also an advocate of evil."

"Perhaps." Kenshin said, "I was a child, and I was led into something that I thought would have no alternative. Either kill, or be killed. That was what they said."

"It's true."

"No." Kenshin paused, "Either stop them, or be killed. That is the truth."

"And if they can't be stopped." Yuki said, turning her back on him, "Kill them."

"I will," Kenshin said, "over my dead body."

Yuki laughed at him, "You are too noble that it's easy."

"Your heart is not set." Kenshin said, "You still hold a grudge upon a person that who is not your enemy anymore."

"There is nothing else that will repair my heart." She said, "You see, because if I don't destroy you, my pain will never go away."

"That's not true."

"You're a hypocrite." She said, "The only reason why you're saying your words is because of _her._ You vowed to her never to kill again. But deep inside, you know that there is no way you can make up to her soul, no matter how many lives you spare. Relate that to me. There is a pain in my heart, but there IS a way I can make up for it, so I will in order to recover fully. I'm unlike you, I've got a chance. Your wound will never go away. Face it, you're trapped. You know that there is no way you can make up to her death, no matter how many lives you spare."

"It is a burden that I've accepted over the years." Kenshin said, "I know I will never ease the pain in my heart. There are some scars that will never heal. But… you learn to live with them, and you continue to live."

"Nothing is stronger than the will to survive." Yuki said, "My will to survive, however, is fueled from your existence. As long as you're alive, my will to survive, in order to destroy you, is my strongest asset."

"I'm sorry that I caused you so much pain." Kenshin said, "It was unintentional."

"Look." She turned around to face him, "This is the last time we get to talk together in this fashion. I hope you know this."

"Then let's go out somewhere and make it a lasting event." Kenshin said, "Besides, this is the last time that you will be able to talk with the assassin that you've been waiting to kill for so long."

"I only desire to hurt you." She said, "Not give you the pleasure of my company."

"The truth is… I want to help you." Kenshin said, "That's how sorry I am."

"You aren't." she said, coldly, "You're lying."

"I'm not." Kenshin said.

"It doesn't matter. My answer is the same regardless. No."

A tear rolled down Kenshin's cheek, "I understand. Good-bye"

She smiled, "Thanks." She said, content that she had hurt him somewhere.

------

As soon as the blows started coming, Kaoru was prepared for every single one of them. She had them recognized, every single detail, that she was able to block every single strike, regardless that it was all being executed in a random order. She could read the impulse of Sir Hiko, as well as she could identify and execute her own movements. At the end of the 500 strikes, she was so shocked that she had blocked everything that she began to laugh, and ended up getting hit by the last two strikes of the 500 hit combo of Hiko.

She fell into the water, giggling.

"That wasn't even a real battle." Hiko said, "In real life, you must attack in order to win the battle. If not, you will eventually be struck, and you will lose."

Kaoru smiled, "The way I block… I've improvised so many cool ways in order to defend myself, I'm so proud!"

"Yes, it's natural movement for someone who practices with a sword for so long." Hiko said, "You must remember however, that it only takes one single strike in order to win a battle."

"I know."

"You cannot defend against the Amakakeru, Ryuu no Hirameki."

"I can if you tell me what it is."

"Do you want to put 'sake' on it?"

"Yeah, expensive sake-"

"The amakakeru ryuu no hirameki, is executed like that of the battojitsu, except that the leg stance is reversed, giving an extra speed to the blade as it goes out of it's sheath. It takes _precise_ timing in order for it to work, otherwise, one could cut his/her foot. It requires the power given forth when one has the desire to live… in order for that extra step to be taken and the blade unsheathed perfectly."

"That's not too hard."

"It is when it is executed by one who is trained in the Hiten Mitsurugi style." He went into stance, "I will use my sheath, but if you fail to block it, you will end up like Yuki."

Kaoru suddenly tensed up.

"Do not be afraid. Yuki's mistake was that she thought I was using the battoujitsu, which is a fraction slower than the Amakakeru--. Since you know the strategy, that cuts the effect of the attack by one half."

Miss Kaoru felt even more nervous, "Uh… sir…?"

"Yes?"

"May I use the bathroom?" she blushed, "Really fast?"

"Nonsense." Hiko made face, "… fine. Hurry up."

Kaoru disappeared from his sight.

"She's stronger than Yuki ever was, and she's still afraid she's going to pee in her pants." Hiko muttered grinning, "Why didn't I train them all like this?"

An afterthought crossed his mind, "It was because the life of my apprentice wasn't at stake." He answered himself, "And I didn't have any responsibility than I do now." He nodded his head.

When Miss Kaoru came back, Sir Hiko was posed in stance.

"Now calm down." He said.

"I will." She said.

He stood in stance.

Two hours passed…

"I told you to calm down!" He shouted.

"I am!" Kaoru yelled back. The hundredth sweat drop spilled from under her chin.

Suddenly, he rushed at her. She wasn't as calm as she should've been, but she was suddenly relieved when she realized he was only doing his 500 strikes on her again. This time, she blocked every single one, and as a bonus, made a quick attack that countered his last blow, sending their weapons bouncing back away from each other.

"Now are you satisfied?!" Hiko said, "If you can only parry this attack, you will be ready."

Kaoru suddenly felt very happy again, "All right!"

"In three!"

"Alright!"

"Three!"

"Ok…"

"Two!"

"Focus…"

"ONE!"

"Kaoru…"

He disappeared. As soon as he did, Kaoru felt her arm already moving up, and she felt the impact. Suddenly, her body was blown back, and she hit her back upon a rough tree. The force was so hard, that she coughed out blood as soon as she hit the surface. Then as she fell, she used her sword as a buttress in order to steady herself so she would regain her position.

When she looked up, she saw Sir Hiko standing above her, smiling.

"You blocked it."

"But…" Kaoru swallowed the blood gathering in her throat, "I was still…"

"My Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki is ten times stronger than Kenshin's." He told her, "My body weight makes it so that no matter what, I will have the greater attack."

Kaoru blinked, "Then…"

"With… especially someone like Yukishiro," Hiko exclaimed, "All that will happen will be a constriction of movement after the attack is executed. Nothing else"

Everything started to go black for her, "You mean… I've surpassed all the others?" she asked him, "Aoshi… Soujiro… Saitou… Yuki…?" her head was spinning, "This has… got to be… a… dream." She fell down, and collapsed.

"I'm proud of you." He said, "Too bad you aren't as good as you think you are." He said, "When I used the attack on Yukishiro, she did the exact same thing as you. I thought she was dead. Anyways, at least you think you're good. That will be enough to keep you calm during your encounter with your adversary."

He raised Kaoru, "Good thing you showed up in my hut… otherwise I'd hate to leave you lying down near the waterfall." He went to his hut and laid her on the mattress that she was lying on before, "The next lessons." He said, "Is when you wake up. It's time to learn the Hiten Mitsurugi basics."

------

"The assassin's double Amakakeru Ryuu No Hirameki is twice as strong as if it were being executed with one sword." Kenshin told Saitou, as Saitou began to strike at Sano, who had fun dodging his attacks.

"I'm only using ½ of my speed." Saitou reminded him, "And plus, my zero Gattoutsu can break the intersecting swords with no problem."

"How will you be able to follow up after the constriction of movement?" Kenshin asked him.

"Unlike Shishio's parry, which was directed at only one sword, he used an original slash, moving the exact opposite direction from your sword, in order to stop your ultimate attack. But it didn't work." Saitou exclaimed, easily, "This case is quite different. Although she's using two katana's, one slash perpendicular to her attack, focusing on the intersection of the blades, would work to my advantage."

"However, that would take _extreme_ accuracy that I don't even think…"

"It's alright Kenshin." Sano said, "I was able to do the same thing when the assassin launched his Battoujitsu on me the week before, so Saitou could totally…"

"Not only is the strike you intend to do very difficult to perform, but one split instant would change the circumstance. The battoujitsu and the amakakeru are two completely different attacks. There is no way to compare them."

"I've been in more life and death situations than all of you." Saitou repeated, "I was pathetic when I fought against Shishio, but if you look at it, I was the only one who came close enough to kill him."

"Ok, stop boasting and let's continue!" Sano said, "I'm ready. Go all out!"

Saitou shook his head, "I'd never go all out."

"HUH?! WHY?!"

"I'm only helping you in this instance." Saitou said, "Afterwards, I plan to have a rematch with the battousai, to settle an old score. I don't want to use my full potential in front of you. It's pathetic."

"It's alright, that it is." Kenshin said, "You can use your full strength without giving away your moves to any of us." Kenshin stepped up and drew his sword, "It will be alright… if we attack together."

Saitou grinned, "That." He said, "Is a compromise."

"Wh-WHAT?!?!" Sano was about to scream, "Wait! This is—!!!"

"Sano…" Kenshin replied, calmly, "The Assassin has two katana's. So in order to stand a chance, you have to learn how to deal with two katanas, that you do."

"Idiot." Saitou threw in.

"But wait… you two are like… both ten times better than me… and I'm going up against both of you at once?!"

"Didn't you say you wanted to get better?" Saitou grinned.

"Keep your sheath on your sword." Kenshin said to Saitou, "I'll use my real sword, however." He drew his sword.

"This is going to be like hell…" Sano said to himself.

"Don't worry, this will help you survive." Kenshin told him.

"You're lucky that I deem you worthy enough to do this." Saitou added.

"Ha!" Sano said, "Worthy?! Yeah right! I'll be better than the both of you after this! Just watch!"

Kenshin and Saitou stood still for a moment, and then, they both lunged at the same time.

------

Kaoru began to block the 500 strikes again no later than 5 minutes after she woke up. She found her arms and legs moving automatically as she adjusted her body in order to block all his attacks.

"Impressive." He said aloud, as she side-stepped and blocked one handedly with her sword, then right after she spun 360 degrees, and while reversing, switched the sword to her other hand in order to block his next strike.

"Unconsciously, you're finding a method to block my attacks." Hiko said, "Hmph… I'm speeding up."

He found to his amazement that Kaoru was as well, and keeping her pace flowing like a river, calm, and concentrated.

She finally blocked his last move, and she found her two hands gripping her handle, her sword parallel to the ground, blocking his overhead strike.

"Your stance is perfect." Hiko commented, as well, "Good."

Kaoru grinned and backed away and bowed.

"Now." Hiko said, "For some steel."

Kaoru's mouth dropped.

"Here." He said, picking up one of the long katanas that he brought along with him that was placed besides the rocks in the background, "There is a real sword in there. But it's only a slab of metal."

"A slab… of metal?" Kaoru said, wincing.

"It is made out of a very thin material, and it is lightweight. I'd estimate maybe only a few grams heavier than your wooden training sword."

"It's thin…?" He handed it over to her and she was surprised that the weight of the sword didn't even weigh half of what she thought I would. Actually, when she thought about it, the weight of the sword might've even been _lighter_ than her wooden sword. But then she shook her head. That wasn't possible, was it?

"Don't worry." Hiko said, "It's thin, but it is able to block any other type of sword. The metal that made that sword is light, but durable. It's almost impossible to break it, because the metal is flexible. Like bamboo."

"Oh… I see." Kaoru smiled, "That's very convenient."

"Yes… it is."

"How were you able to…?"

"I made it myself."

Kaoru widened her eyes, "But sir…! Just for me…?"

"I wanted to master many things over the past years. One of the most recent skills I'm perfecting is pottery. I tend to stick to more abstract skills, otherwise." He grinned, "I'd master everything else much or less in a second."

"So this… is one of the things that you've created…"

"Yes… a few years back when I started to master the art of the black smith." He smiled, "That only took a week. It was boring. But this is my first attempt." He looked at it, "I designed it as a sword that was like a training sword, except it was real."

"That's… very thoughtful…"

"I disregarded it after I tried it out first." He said, "It was too light. It felt like I was slashing with my own fists. It threw off my true fighting potential, as I am more accustomed to use something with weight, so I can apply my weight on it in order to maneuver it much more accurately."

"For me…" Kaoru said, "It's just… perfect."

"I thought so." His eyes narrowed, "However, that sword is not designed for attacking. Since there is no blade, it is slightly a fraction slower, due to air resistance, because your blade won't be cutting into the air."

"That's even better." Kaoru said, "I don't intend to attack."

Hiko shook his head, "I'm afraid you will." His eyes dug deep into hers, "You _MUST."_ Kaoru blinked.

"But…"

"If you don't, you will die." Hiko said, "I will only teach you the basics. No fancy style techniques that you call out before attacking them."

"Oh… ok." Kaoru said, "Like… the Ryuu suitzsen?"

"Like the Amakakeru or the Battoujitsu." Hiko said, "Although… you could probably perform them because you've seen them once already." He looked sideways, "The battoujitsu would just be really slow, and the Amakakeru… well, you'll probably hit your toe when you do the attack, so it'll be unwise." He grinned, "Well, if you're slow enough, maybe you _wouldn't_ but still… that'd be pretty slow."

"Do you mock me?" Kaoru asked suddenly, "Oh… oh… I'm sorry…"

Hiko rose one of his eyebrows, "Do you mock my apprentice?"

Kaoru winked at him and smiled, "We'll see after I come back to Yamasaki."

"These are your last lessons." Hiko said, "It will take up the entire three days. No time to sleep. Rest all you want while you travel back, but now, you can't."

"I understand." Kaoru said, "I can handle it. I've been through worse last week."

Hiko laughed, "No… you haven't seen _anything _yet." He picked up his sword, "We'll be training with real swords now."

Kaoru only grinned, "I accept your adjustment in training." She said.

"Very well." Hiko said, "Let the final training… begin."

------

_Kenshin Ending Theme Song…_


	7. Omega's Alpha

_Omega's Alpha_

Three days later…

Miss Megumi smiled at Kenshin, "Everything is back to normal sir Ken." She told him, happily, "Your body is in optimal condition." Her smile disappeared quickly, "Promise… promise me that you won't hurt yourself too much."

Kenshin sighed, "Miss Megumi?"

"Yes, Kenshin?"

"I feel like I have to end somebody's life… that is in much pain, frustration, confusion, and torture. What do you think about my thought?"

Megumi winced, "Definitely… ending their life is ok. But… _killing… _on the other hand… I would think would not be alright."

Kenshin nodded, "I thought so as well." He paused, "The only question is… how do you end somebody's life if you don't kill them?"

Miss Megumi made a sad face, "I'm sorry, I can't… think of anything right now. But I'm pretty sure there is something that you can do."

Kenshin took a deep breath, "I can't kill… the assassin." He said.

"Then stop him."

"I… can't stop the assassin."

"Why not, sir Ken?!"

"Because the assassin lives… to destroy me." He walked away from her, "My mind is still not clear." He said, "I thought I would come to think of something, but I've realized that I can't. There is no answer."

"Some answers…" Miss Megumi said, "Weren't meant to be known to us." She said, "But you must have faith in your decision."

"Thank you." Kenshin said smiling, "I am thankful, that I am."

Miss Megumi closed her eyes and smiled back gently at him, "Your welcome, it's all I can really do… afterall."

"I've been training Sano… also. He's gotten really better, that he has."

"I'm sure." Megumi said, "He went to the waterfall north from here this morning. He's been meditating there ever since."

Kenshin smiled, "He will be able to help me… most definitely."

"It's nice to have a lot of friends to help you out."

"Yes… that, it is."

"Are you sure you'll be able to meet with the assassin today?" she asked, "I mean, he hasn't appeared for the entire week."

"I know where he lurks." Kenshin said, "I've known all along, where the assassin has been." Miss Megumi's eyes widened, "I think we made a compromise to not fight each other until I was ready." He closed his eyes, "It's time."

------

As Sano started to walk back to town, a mysterious figure cloaked in the shadows, underneath a tree, loomed before him.

"Saitou, is that you?!" Sano called out, "Look, I don't have time, I've rested this whole day just so I could recover all my strength."

"No, I am not Saitou." The mysterious figure said, holding out two blades before him, "But I've seen your training, it's efficient only if it works on the real thing." Aoshi Shinamuri stepped out from underneath the tree, revealing himself.

"Shinamuri?!" Sano made a face, "What do you want now?"

"Only to test your skills." Aoshi said, "Which seems impressive."

Sano suddenly went into stance, "Ok, you're on." He said, smiling, "I can't wait to try out my new moves! I'm so fast now!"

Aoshi made a face, "Enough talk. Do not compare yourself to the battousai, you are still much farther away from him."

"Who said I was comparing myself…?"

"Let's go… Zanza!"

The name rang a bell to Sano as Aoshi lunged. Right away, Sano's body was energized, and he found himself twisting and turning, avoiding all of Aoshi's attacks.

"You have no sword, so it is impossible for you to block… which makes it easier to attack with both swords at the same time!" He lunged and made an "X" with his double kodachi's.

Sano made a high kick, sending the gripped blades up above Aoshi's head.

"Impressive." He said, "So you haven't forgotten that counter from last night."

"As long as it works." Sano grinned.

Aoshi launched again, this time, performing his Kaiten Kenbu attack. Sano was able to dodge all these attacks at once.

"HA!" He screamed in joy, "how's that?! And that's your best attack!"

"Slowed down by 1/3." Aoshi said, coldly, "Enough, you are finished." He turned away from him, "You'll be prepared for whatever's coming at you. That's for sure."

Sano ran up to him, "Hey, but why are you here? Did Missy reach Kyotou and inform you about--?"

"Yes, she told us a little too much, if you ask me." He said, cooly, "This assassin will not be strong enough to hold back all of us if we attack at once. The Wolf of Mibu, The Battousai, and myself alone would be enough to destroy him."

"Well… it's a shame." He paused, "Hey… we've been worrying all along where Missy has been."

"Even the battousai?"

"Kenshin assumed that Sir Hiko made Missy go through a tremendous task before giving her his information." Sano said, "Kenshin said… because his master is just like that. He said he knows him."

"I see. Well, I can answer you." From behind the same tree, Shuura, Misao, Sir Okina, and the other three members of the Aoya, appeared. Some stepping from behind, others jumping from the branches above.

"Wow." Sano said, amazed.

"We all wanted to see the show." Sir Okina said, "I'm terribly sorry if you think we're intruding."

"Shuura?" Sano asked, more surprised of her appearance.

"It's been awhile, Sanosuke Sagara." Shuura bowed nicely, "I met Miss Kamiya on her trip to Kyotou. I've been accompanying everyone ever since."

"Well… this is definitely overkill." Sano said, "I mean it…"

"Yes." Aoshi said, obviously, "Don't tell Kenshin, but we'll be watching his fight from behind. If he needs our help, we'll be there to back him up."

"Where's Missy, though?"

"She's still with Sir Hiko." Misao said, "She's… probably done with her task though, by now. Whatever he wanted her to do, she must've done already."

"Good, then we can finally find out the identity of the assassin."

"She should be arriving sometime today."

"I'm glad…"

------

As the sun began to set, Kenshin began to walk towards the snow arena, where he had first fought Yuki before. Saitou and Sano followed behind him.

"Missy's not here yet." Sano suddenly said while walking, "We still don't know the origin of who we're fighting."

"It's alright." Kenshin said, "I have my own hunch already."

"I guess it's alright." Sano said, "Well, at least she won't stress herself too much. She would if she were here."

Kenshin stopped, "We're here."

The wind started to rise. As a que, the sun began to finally settle down, and the afternoon sky was painted a dark red across the earth.

"How do you know he's here?" Saitou asked, "And if he _does_ show, let me fight him first. I've got a score to settle. He's been slaughtering those ten Shinsengumi like it was nothing. I will owe them their revenge."

"Be careful, Saitou… she has…"

"Don't worry, I'll save the death strike to you." Saitou grinned, and glanced at Sano "Or you, boy, if 'Kenshin Himura' doesn't have the heart to do so."

"Look Saitou, I'm not one to kill either!"

"Ok, then don't complain after I'm done, I already warned you and gave you each a chance. Now live with it, while I have all the fun."

They finally reached their destination and stopped. By this time, a supreme cold began to emenate throughout the area. A light snow was falling overhead, and the sky was now white as it sprinkled snowflakes over the three men.

The light dimmed a little, and for a moment there was a silent hush over the area. Then a figure stepped out into the snow. Wearing a dark blue kimono, two swords slabbed over the waist, hair styled up like that of the young Kenshin.

"I must admit." Saitou said, in a suppressed voice, "If it wasn't for my common sense, I would think you were the battousai. Except…" he glanced at the figure, "your hair, and no scar."

The assassin remained silent and took a step towards them, imprinting a footstep into the snow. There was no words, or no expressions. Just silence.

"You're right." Kenshin said, "He does resemble me."

"No…" Sano said, "But… he looks… like someone else."

"Enough talk!" Saitou said, "It seems he's not interested in words." He reversed his blade, "The spirit of the battousai resenates within you… I can sense that same feeling of hatred and merciless cruelty." He laughed, "I will finally settle my score, with YOU!"

He lunged, his Gatotsu slicing through the air. The assassin drew his katana from one side and blocked it easily. Saitou flung his sword again, horizontally, while the assassin used another hand to draw his other sword, blocking it twice. Then the assassin used both blades and twirled it in such a way like uncrossing an "X", causing Saitou's sword to fly out of his hands and plunge itself into a tree 5 meters away from them.

"Gatotsu is easy." The assassin said. Saitou looked up and widened his eyes.

"I never expected…" he said normally, yet, blinking, "It's preposterous."

"Yes." The assassin said, "It's me. Can't you recognize my voice?"

Saitou's eyes narrowed, "Trying to match the skill of a man. Your effort is futile!" he slid backwards, to where his sword was, in a flash, and drew it out of the trunk, as Sano gasped, "Yet, your technique is remarkable. I see that I can no longer fight you like I had fought the battousai before."

"I am two times better than him." She said, her eyes focused on his, speaking coldly, "You stand no chance. If you continue you will perish."

"You are almost exactly like him." Saitou said, "This is good, I'll enjoy destroying you, whether you are a man or not."

The assassin laughed, "I've found the leader of the den. The wolf of Mibu has finally arrived. Although a vicious beast, he is obsolete to a human."

"Yuki?!" Sano screamed out. He looked at Kenshin, who didn't react, "Kenshin, did you know?"

Kenshin nodded, "I found out a few days ago that she was trained in the Hiten Mitsurugi."

Saitou lunged again, this time, slashing with all his might, trying to penetrate the two swords. She blocked calmly, sometimes with one, sometimes with both swords.

"Damn it!" Sano said, "If Saitou's even having trouble, then how will I do against her?!" he started sweating, "I've been preparing all this time… but if Saitou can't even…"

Saitou executed three Gatotsu's at once, causing sparks to fly as both swords of hers blocked the attacks. "ARRRGH!" He yelled, slashing at one of her swords, causing it to sway away from her body, and reversed his slash immediately, aiming towards her chest. It seemed that he was sure to catch her that time, and he did.

Unfortunately, only part of her kimono was ripped, the drape from beneath her arm. "Urgh." She said, "Annoying…"

"You have no strength!" Saitou exclaimed, "It's useless to keep blocking."

Yuki laughed, "I've just been warming up this whole time."

Saitou began slashing through again. Horizontally, Diagonally, and Vertically. Before his first blow came close enough, all in a split second she had spun her blades 180 degrees forward, and then in a flash right after sheathed both swords inside their sheaths without even the outmost effort. Then she began to dodge.

"No!" Sano said, "That's my thing!"

"You are a fool!" Saitou shouted, as he lunged more attacks her way.

"Ya think?" She winked at him.

Yuki laughed evilly as she continued to dodge all of Saitou's strikes. Then, just as he was about to perform the ground zero attack on her, she did a jumping high kick that connected straight towards his chin. It knocked his head back. Still in mid-air, she unsheathed one of her swords.

"NOOOO!" Sano screamed.

It was too late. Saitou yelled out in pain as she impaled him through his shoulder. Then she pulled the sword back out, the same way it went in, leaving the hole in his shoulder. Saitou looked at her, anger in his eyes.

"Your attacks are very fast. I realized I had to do something before I made a mistake." She turned her head away from him, "Your right shoulder is injured, you won't be able to fight with the same power."

Saitou laughed, "This cut is nothing." He said, "You've been toying around all along. You've watched our midnight training. I expected that." He smiled, "But I never went all out, to let you know."

"You _will _die." She said, "Don't get in my way. Himura is mine."

"_You_ are mine." He said, holding his Gatotsu. She stood in stance. He lunged again.

"Fast!" Kenshin said, shocked at the speed.

As she blocked, her swords flew back, one of them left her hand.

"All right!" Sano said, "I knew he wasn't going to go down easily."

"One on one!" Saitou yelled, "HuuuAAAAH!" He lunged quicker than before. In the background, Kenshin blinked, his eyes filled with a nostalgic, ineffable, trance.

"It's like in the revolution." He said, "Exactly like in the revolution." It seemed like his eyes were elsewhere, in the past. Sano looked at Kenshin.

_He's really trying his best_ Sano thought, looking back at Saitou, as he and Yuki countered each other again and again. _Block—strike! Block—strike-strike- block-counter! _He thought to himself, reading their attacks. _Good, I think I can react to her attacks if I ever get to fight her._

"Enough!" Yuki said, and made a quick sidekick, and then slashing at Saitou across the chest. Saitou leapt back.

"Saitou, take a break!" Sano said, "Let me get a shot at her while you rest!"

"Fool, the wolf of Mibu never retreats." He said, "I'll take one more attack, and if it doesn't penetrate, I'll leave the rest to you." he faced Yuki, "That is the way, of a death match."

Sano choked, "This is his last resort…"

"Gatotsu, ZERO STYLE!"

The sword engraved itself into the ground.

"Too slow." Yuki said. She crossed both her swords, intersecting both like an X into Saitou's sword, breaking it in half. Then she did something that Sano thought she'd never do. She did a Gatotsu, exactly like how Saitou had done to him the first time they met, and plunged her sword through his other shoulder, and sending him back, 'nailing' him to the tree.

"Urg!" Saitou's eyes closed. Yuki pulled the sword out of the tree, and out of Saitou, and he fell onto the ground, motionless.

"NO! Saitou!" Sano said, "URRRGHHH!" He looked at Yuki.

She smiled at him, "Hahahaha. He was your mentor, now wasn't he?" she chuckled wickedly, "I'm glad I could supply you with some pain as well."

"If only I knew better…" Sano said, "I would have hit you a lot more harder a week ago!" he made a grunt, "I thought it was a dream… but it wasn't! That was YOUR face that shined when the lightning struck the night I fought you!"

"That's most correct, Sanosuke Sagara." She said, she smiled, "I couldn't fight you back then, so you were able to strike me as much as you wanted. You should be honored." She threw down her swords onto the ground, "You were planning to disarm me, but you don't have to worry about that this time. I'll face you without fear."

Sano made a face, "I'll pulverize you!"

"Sano… don't take her lightly." Kenshin said, "If you do, she may destroy you."

"No, she won't, Kenshin." Sano said, between grit teeth, "I'll make sure she gets what she needed all along. A Futae no Kiwami to the sucker!" He rushed at her.

He threw a punch, and as she blocked it with both hands, as he expected, he went one step further and delivered and bone-shattering head-butt to her forehead.

"uH!" she said, her head moving back, "New…"

"You feel dizzy yet?!" Sano screamed, delivering a combo of attacks. She smiled, and dodged all of them.

"My heads alright, thank you." She said, socking him straight in the jaw, then kneeing his groin.

"URGH!" Sano's eyes shot open.

She side-kicked his face, causing him to arch back. As he was doing so, she grabbed him by the collar, pulling him back to her.

"You're a very interesting, handsome, man." She said, "I'll admit. But you're just-too-weak!" she head-butted his face, as hard as she could. Sano felt pain, all over his face. His nose was definitely going to start bleeding, and his lip had been cut as the impact crushed his lip into his teeth, making a long cut from within his inner lip.

His face landed straight into the snow

"If you weren't going to die, you'd have at least two black eyes and a distorted lip tomorrow." She said.

Sano rose, "Screw you." He said, spitting blood out of his mouth.

Yuki laughed, "Now you look as crappy as your technique."

"Sano, that's enough." Kenshin said.

"It's alright, Kenshin." Sano said, "I'll be fine."

"Here." Yuki said, "I'm so nice I'll let you return the favor. Free shot, _anywhere_." She said, convincingly.

"Fine." Sano said, walking towards her. She showed no signs of attack.

"SANO, don't!" Kenshin said.

"It's alright." Sano said, one of his eyes was so sore that it was slightly slanted, "I'll land a good hit on her."

"Sano, with all due respect…"

"Let him do what he wants." A voice called from behind him. Kenshin's eyes widened.

"Aoshi…" Kenshin muttered, "Shinamuri…"

"Someone new?" Yuki tilted her head, "You don't suppose it'll make a difference, do you?"

"Worry about me first." Sano stepped up towards her again. They looked at each other into the eyes.

"One free punch, go ahead, I'll let you."

Sano blinked. Kenshin looked straight ahead at them, eyes blinking. He wanted to warn Sano somehow, or something. But he knew he had to let Sano do this on his own. This was a man's battle.

"FUTAE NO KIWAMI!" Sano screamed, and punched upwards towards her face.

Right before the punch fully extended, Yuki twirled, and while she did so, executed a grab technique that would reverse the attack.

That was _supposed _to reverse the attack.

When she looked back, she realized a split second before she launched her reversal that Sano had not aimed for her face, but only right next to it! Her arm that was meant to grab his fist went directly towards thin air. She gasped in shock.

"I _knew_ it! You BITCH!" Sano yelled, copying the way of the Gatotsu and swinging his fist horizontally, catching the side of her head, "I _kNeW_ you were going to do something like that!" upon collision, she cried out in pain, and fell sideways into the snow.

She immediately sprung up, tears in her eyes, "You—_dirty—_scum!" she screamed back at him.

"It seems that I was smarter than you thought." Sano said, "Aiming at the air right next to your face, making you believe that I was actually going to strike you!" he made a smirk, "I knew what you would do because of what you did to Saitou!" he shouted.

"Hmph… You're better than I thought." she said, wiping her tears, "For that, you'll be joining him." She lunged at him and disappeared. Sano stood still.

She reappeared, behind him, with both swords on her.

"Damn it." Sano said, taking up a stance.

"Rest." Aoshi said, from behind Kenshin, "You and the battousai are connected to her emotions, which makes you a very important figure."

Sano looked sideways, "Aoshi!"

"It is my turn to take this battle." He said, stepping forward.

"I'm not finished with him." Yuki said, calmly at him, "If you wish to get in my way, you will definitely not live to see the light of day."

"We will see about that."

"Ok" She faced Aoshi, "HERE!" without warning, she lunged at Sano, with incredible speed, elbowing him straight in the chest, causing him to fly towards them. Sano choked, and blood flew out of his mouth. He landed a few feet before them.

"Let him rest, in peace." She said, regaining her calm, as Sano twisted in agony upon the snow. She started giggling.

"Sano!" Kenshin ran over and kneeled down to him.

"Kenshin…" Sano coughed out blood, "I'm… sorry…" his eyes closed.

"SANO!"

"He's still alive, battousai." Aoshi said, who was now stepping closer to Yuki, "You know that. Now's not the time to get angry over nothing. You _vowed_ not to become the battousai. If you didn't for our reunion, you would dishonor our battle by becoming the battousai in this situation."

"I know… Aoshi…" Kenshin said, his voice cracking with anger, "I promise, I won't…"

"Good."

Aoshi stepped forward and faced Yuki.

"From seeing the past battles, I know that you haven't been hurt… physically, as of yet." He said, "Only mentally, by underestimating your opponent."

"I'm not Shishio." Yuki said, "But those two blows did hurt, I admit." She looked over to Kenshin, "Letting all your friends do all the dirty work before jumping in?"

"The reason…" Aoshi said, "That the Battousai is stronger than you, is because he has a lot more friends than you do."

"I disagree." Yuki said, "If he was truly stronger he'd fight me himself."

"Aoshi… I appreciate your concern, but she's right." Kenshin said, "I came to fight her. Saitou and Sano went first because they had matters to take care of. I promised them they would have the chance to take part of this battle on my behalf."

"I see."

"Let me take care of this." Kenshin said.

"You overexert yourself." Aoshi told him, "Unlike you, this woman hasn't been fighting for 11 years in a row. If you look at the situation accurately, you've been more strained that she has."

"Aoshi—"

"Miss Kamiya was crying when she went to the Aoya." Aoshi continued, "In regards to you. She said she heard from her friend that the next time you'd fight someone like Shishio, you were unlikely to survive. So please understand… this is only because she wants you alive."

"Aoshi."

"That's why we came, to release the burden from you." He said, "Right now, your body is refreshed, but your mind is not. We've been watching you."

Kenshin blinked, "…we've…?"

"Yes… Himura." Okina, Misao, and Shuura jumped down from separate trees, in the background.

"You have someone who cares for you, very much." Shuura said, "That's why she went on her own, for your sake!"

"We'll do whatever we can to make sure you _won't _die!" Misao said.

Kenshin's eyes widened, "I must implore you all, this is my fight!" he said, loudly, "She's the way she is because of me! I will NOT…"

"So you will die before she comes back?" Aoshi asked him, "You may feel responsible towards Yuki, but you have a _greater _responsibility towards Miss Kaoru!"

"_Kenshin…he's… right…" _Kenshin looked down, at Sano, _"You… worry… too much on the past… you've forgotten… about… the… present…"_

"You helped me last time, because I was blinded." Aoshi told him, "Now it's my turn, battousai. Now it is I, who must do the honorable thing."

Yuki just smiled.

"Let go." Aoshi said, "It's time to let go of the past, and focus on the present."

Kenshin's eyes widened.

"You've been so preoccupied of the past, just as she has, that you've been trailing behind her suffering." Aoshi said, "She is responsible for her choices. Yet, she focuses on the past. You've told her countless times to let go of the past, but she hasn't. She's been persistent. But that doesn't mean that you have to be like her. But you have. You've been playing her game all along."

Yuki's smile dropped, "Kenshin, don't listen to him, fight me. Alone."

Kenshin's eyes spun and looked at her.

"Kenshin, you know it won't be the same if you let them attack me first. You're letting them do all the work for you. You know it!" Kenshin twitched, "You'd be just as low as you were in the past, when you killed my family!"

"Miss Kaoru is yearning for you to live." Aoshi told him, "Yuki's actions are her own problems. If she wants to get to you, she has to get through us."

"No Aoshi…" Kenshin said, "I must. It's my battle."

"Battousai." Aoshi paused, "You said a long time ago, when you last fought me, that the strongest power is the will to live. If you decide to be honorable and accept your death penalty… you have thrown away the strongest thing that you ever possessed. The strength that I admired from you that I had not had before."

Kenshin stopped.

"You are not accountable for her actions." Aoshi said, "She is." He turned towards Yuki, "Now we will fight."

Kenshin looked at him, and nodded, "Thank you… Aoshi."

Aoshi and Yuki glared at each other, and their clothes began to flutter from the wind. It was only in a moment of time that they would begin to attack.

------

_Kenshin Ending Theme Song…_


	8. The Final Battle

_The Final Battle/  
Hiten Mitsurugi vs. Hiten Mitsurugi_

"It is time…" Hiko Seijiro said, "That I tell you something about Kenshin that he hasn't probably shared with you, that you should know." He said, softly, the last day of their training.

"Is it about…?"

"Yes. It's about Kenshin's scar." Hiko said to her, "It's a legend that has been sealed away from you that you should know about."

"I see…"

"You should know this about Kenshin, because you care so much about him, and you need to know about this."

"Are you saying…?"

"I don't know. That is up to you." Hiko told her, "Let me tell you the story first. There are probably many things running through your mind now. Like: why did Kenshin become a wanderer, and why had he vowed to never kill anyone again."

"I always told him before… that I didn't care what he did in the past." Kaoru said, "I don't want to know… if he wouldn't want me to."

"If you truly care for him, you should be able to swallow this without changing your attitude towards him." He told her.

"I understand."

"Right now, Kenshin is undergoing a time of confusion. This is perhaps because his mind is still as strongly dedicated to the past as the present. He is fighting between who he is now and who he was 11 years ago."

"Oh…"

"The reason why I trained you… was so he could get a stronger impression on the present, than in the past. Because it is the present that concerns the world. Not the past… stupid apprentice."

"I see…"

"But it is essential for you to know about his past in order to begin to understand his feelings inside. You understand, even though he didn't want you to know, you were sent here for a reason. He probably knew that I would reveal his past to you."

"Alright… I will listen. For his sake."

"A long time ago… Kenshin was trained by me, through the Hiten Mitsurugi, as you already know. What you don't know, is what happened after he left my instruction. He immediately got himself politically involved with the Choshu revolutionary squad, led by a man named Katsura."

"Oh…"

"His skill was so exceptional, that he was sent to Kyotou, and assigned orders in order to assassinate different members of the shogunate, in order to break down the system. Which he did, quite successfully."

"So that's… why he assassinated so much people before…"

"One of the men… that Kenshin assasinated, scarred him. He left a deep line across my apprentice's face, Kenshin's first scar. That man's name was Kiyosato. He had perished against his will to live. You see, he had a fiancé he was scheduled to marry the following year. Her name was Tomoe Yukishiro."

Kaoru gasped, "That's the woman you mentioned earlier…"

"Tomoe wished to destroy Kenshin when she found about Kiyosato's assassination. So she willingly became an envoy for the shogunate, and the shogunate used Tomoe in order to keep track of Kenshin. They wanted her to deceive him, and trick him by being his friend, while she was really just giving them his whereabouts."

"So…"

"However." Hiko interrupted her, "In the middle of her mission, Katsura, the leader of the Choshu rebellion, had a talk with her, and asked her to act as a sheath to hold back my apprentice from killing people. Now she was intertwined with the Choshu, as well as the Shogunate."

"Of course, she played along, until she started to know Kenshin better. A month before Kyotou was sent aflame, Katsura sent Kenshin and Tomoe to Otsu, in order to act as newly weds to prevent suspicion until they called Kenshin back to the Choshu."

"Over that amount of time, Kenshin and Tomoe got to know each other really well. But while that time… when my apprentice was with her, he found something that I told him about that he had not found until he stayed with Tomoe. The value of life."

"When he confessed this to Tomoe, they began to fall in love with each other."

Kaoru gasped, "You-you mean--!!"

"But something very terrible happened. Tomoe was already a damaged woman, and her heart was torn between both her fiancé, Kiyosato, and Kenshin. Her anger and hatred was mixed between her love of Kenshin. For over time, she found that he was a pure man, despite his assassinations, and that he only intended for justice. It eventually made her betray the shogunate at the end."

"While this happened, Kenshin heard news that Tomoe was a traitor, and that she was working for the shogunate all along. When he found this out… he pursued after Tomoe in search of the truth, and while he was trailing her to the hideout of the shogunate, three members of the Bakufu Shogunate attacked him. All three of these men, he thought, were affiliated with Tomoe; thus, he let himself get hurt… from carelessness. His mind was tearing apart. Tomoe had passed this onto him…"

"He…"

"It's a particular trait that all women tend to possess." Hiko paused, "He almost died that day. But at the end, before he was going to die, Tomoe sacrificed herself, in between the blades, and protected Kenshin from the killing blow. And in the process gave him the cross shaped scar that you see upon him today."

"She… died… for him…?"

"Yes. Ever since then, Kenshin has been a damaged man."

Tears began to drop from Kaoru's eyes.

"It is true that Kenshin has lost Tomoe. But he has only truly continued to live because of you." He said to her, "You must realize this. Tomoe is no longer with him. But he has found you… and you have replenished his spirit, and his meaning of life, after 11 years of wandering and confusion. He has found a place within you, you must decide whether you want that relationship to grow between you."

Kaoru nodded.

"I trained you… so you would be able to act as a shield, to protect Kenshin." He told her, "Kenshin is faced with another endeavor that will threaten his life. It is your choice whether you want to protect him or not. However, I feel that you may be his only hope this time. It is only you that can surpass Tomoe…and conquer the past."

"I understand." Kaoru had said, "Thank you… for everything." She bowed, "It's time to go. Now it is I … who must do the honorable thing…"

------

Aoshi stood, holding his big sheath.

"Aoshi Shinomuri… I wish I knew more about you." Yuki said to him, "I feel like I've been left out of the picture of something. I won't make the same mistake as underestimating you, however."

Aoshi stood still.

"Up to now I haven't been using all my strength. Let's make this quick." She rushed to Aoshi, with both katana's ready to perform a battoujitsu.

Aoshi dropped the sheath and freed his two kodachi's and blocked the attack.

"Double Kodachi's." Yuki said, calmly, "Impressive."

Aoshi began to attack quickly and steadily. His moves were a flurry of attacks between the combinations of his two Kodachi's.

"Oh no… will he get hurt like Himura's other friends?" Misao asked Okina.

"It's a fair game." Okina said, "Aoshi's advantage is that his weapons are shorter, so therefore, it's easier for him to manuever. However, Yuki's advantage is that her sword has a longer range, so it's hard to really say who will out-do who."

Aoshi looked like he was having the upper hand in this battle. He had truly mastered the art of the double kodachi's. It was obvious that he was not going to go down easily.

"Humph!" He thrust one of his Kodachi's at Yuki's throat, but she blocked it and flicked her wrist twice, spinning her katana, causing her blade to catch onto his and forced him to drop his kodachi.

"Careless." She said.

"I think not," He threw his Kodachi straight at her.

As she dodged, he rolled and picked up his other Kodachi on the ground. She struck as he finished rolling, but he blocked her attack anyways.

"You've gained nothing!" she said, and began attacking him. Aoshi, with one Kodachi alone, began to do a series of both blocking and dodging.

Aoshi suddenly slid back and circled around Yuki.

"I can still see you." Yuki said, "Don't think I can't."

While circling, Aoshi picked up his other Kodachi.

While he did, Yuki didn't wait for his attack anymore, she went straight at him without a moment's hesitation. But she found she missed.

"An after image…" she said to herself, "You're faster than I thought."

Aoshi continued to circle, "Kaiten KENBU!"

In the middle of his attack, he found himself stopping.

Yuki had slashed across his stomach before he could even come close enough to attack her. Aoshi took a step back.

"Your reaction speed has increased." He said, weakened.

"I have no more time for games." She said, "You will meet your end." Her attacks were fast, but this time, she changed her acceleration over time. Aoshi found that it was harder to predict when she would be using all her speed compared to her original speed. Both were quicker than the eye, and he had only his own instincts to guide him.

"Agh!" Aoshi yelled, as she slashed him across the wrist, her fourth successful strike. Then she sliced him again across his thigh. He kneeled down upon the snow.

"It's time!" Yuki declared.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Misao screamed, as Yuki stabbed through Aoshi's chest. They watched in horror as Aoshi fell, not moving.

"As you might've guessed." Yuki announced to everyone, "I didn't kill him, _yet._" She said, "I just stopped him. Like the others." She glanced at Saitou and Sano, "I will kill them by mutilating them in front of your eyes before I destroy you." She told Kenshin.

"No, you won't." Okina said, "You'll have to face us as well." He turned to the other seven, "I will lead the attack."

Kenshin's eyes widened, "No, sir!"

Shuura, Misao, Okina, and all three other Aoya members leaped at Yuki. But the fact was inevitable. For a moment, the Kunai's, Okina's metal garments, and the other Aoya members projectiles, and Shura's whip, seemed to be holding Yuki down for the longest time. Kenshin watched as Yuki maintained a calm face while taking each one of them down… one by one.

After they had all fallen, Yuki looked up, across to Kenshin.

"No more friends to hide behind." She said, "It's time."

Kenshin took a step forward, "Yes, it is."

The snow started to gather up ferociously. Kenshin looked at Yuki. No cuts, no injuries, on her body. Sano was truly the only one who managed two clear strikes upon her. But even that… wasn't able to hold her down.

"You've come to the pinnacle of your life." Kenshin said, slowly, "This is where it all leads up to. But afterwards, what next?"

"I have yet to find out." She said, "Don't worry about me. Worry about yourself." Her hair fluttered throughout the wind.

"You look almost exactly like me." Kenshin said, "When I was fighting in the revolution." He told her.

"I've waited for this moment for so long…" her eyes were sparkling with excitement, "We've had something in common… Kenshin… the inclination to serve justice. I hope you agree this meeting of ours was of fate."

"I have friends… and I have a life to live." Kenshin said, "I will not die today."

"Regardless of what you think." Yuki said, "Justice will prevail." She made a face, "You may listen to what Aoshi had to say, but the truth is that no matter what, the past will catch up with you. You were meant to atone for your sins, for everything you did!"

"I believe so, but not this way. You threw away everything just to destroy me, that was your fault. I will not make the same mistake as you. I have a life to live."

"So did all those you killed before." Yuki said, her cold voice penetrating towards his, "Regardless, they were unable to defend themselves, as so will you!"

She threw a sword at him at that instant, and he dodged it.

She rushed at him, and screamed at the top of her lungs, "KUZO RYUUSEN!" she performed the 9 lightening fast strikes upon him.

"HuuuAAAH!!!" Kenshin's battle cry filled the area, as he blocked everyone of them by executing the exact same move at the exact same time.

For a moment, their blades intertwined, and they found themselves looking into each other's eyes. Then they both pushed back at the same time, backing away from each other.

"You're using your full strength." Yuki smiled, "Good."

"You haven't slowed down as well." Kenshin said, "You will face the true strength of Kenshin Himura, that you will."

He lunged at her and performed a battoujitsu on her, but she blocked it with a semi vertical battoujitsu of herself.

"Your strength is futile, you will lose!" she parried and struck at the back of his neck. He dodged her and kicked her side as hard as he could.

She moved with the blow, lessening the impact.

Kenshin rushed again, and waved his sword so quickly that a beam of light reflected from it and blinded her.

"Urgh!" she cried out, covering her face with her free hand..

"KUZO RYUUSEN!" Kenshin cried out, executing the onslaught of all nine attacks upon her. She flew back and hit a tree behind her, her clothes practically torn apart from the blow. Tattered, yet not broken, she stood up.

"Ha!" she said, wrinkling her nose, "_Perfect!"_ she rushed at him, and they began to unleash savage blows against the other. Kenshin began to break a sweat as she began to change her acceleration within every move, making it difficult to predict her next strike.

Even worse, like last year in his fight with Soujiro, she had no emotion on her face, making it extremely difficult to predict which move she would use next.

They moved like lightening across the field. Her sword dueled with his, in almost a romantic way, like a rushing river. Their attacks were both identical, and for the first time, Kenshin found out how it was to be fighting against himself.

She blocked his sword, and plunged her sheath into his right eye.

"URGH!" He yelled, as next she slashed his arm with her blade. He used his free arm to grab his own sheath, and he slammed it upon hers, causing her sheath to break, releasing the pressure upon his eye before it broke from the pressure. Yuki followed up, slicing him again across the chest.

Kenshin backed away and kneeled down and started panting, hard. Blood began to trickle down from his right eye.

"Too bad I didn't pop it." Yuki said.

Kenshin used his sword as a buttress as he stood up to face her. He raised his sword and stood in stance, closing his eyes, he concentrated.

"ARRRGHHH!" Yuki cried, her face distorted in anger, as she rushed at him.

He blocked her first move and twirled, catching her in between the ribs. She cried in pain as she ignored the attack and followed up with a lunge, he blocked that yet again with a flicker of his wrist, his sword countered and landed upon her shoulder.

"Urgh!" She kneeled down. Then he did an uppercut strike, sending her flying up into the sky, and then slamming her back down on the ground. She screamed as she hit the ground, and twisted in pain, uncontrollably.

She finally managed to kneel forward, her hands still pressed down and imprinted onto the snow. She looked down at the snow and started panting hard as well.

"You…_are just as cold as you were as you killed my mother."_ She said, her voice trembling, "You've waited until this moment, while I was weakened, to fight me and make me suffer!" she cried out, tears dripping down her face.

"You still have a future." Kenshin said to her, "Live."

"No… I _don't! _You took it away from me a long time ago." She tried standing up, but she fell, "You… killed… my family!!!" she screamed, her lungs pouring out of her, "You took away everything I ever had! You don't understand!"

Kenshin's head began to grow hot.

"I have no reason left to live." She raised her sword, ready to commit suicide.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Kenshin screamed, rushing at her. As soon as he did, she reaimed her sword, and it went through Kenshin's outstretched hand.

"Urgh!" Kenshin's eyes widened.

Yuki kicked him away.

"You fool!" she laughed, as he flew and hit a tree, "You're too soft!"

Kenshin breathed hard, holding his right hand, "You…"

"Your ideals are pure stupidity." Yuki said, "Don't count on living on the future, your life has already come to an end."

"Never!"

She laughed and stood up, tears still dripping down her eyes, "Now suffer, as I have!" she said, picking up her second Katana from the floor.

Kenshin's right hand trembled as he grabbed onto his katana again.

"It's time to end everything, now." He said slowly.

He rushed at her and performed an upward strike to her face, but she blocked it and used both swords upon him. He flicked his wrist, causing her blades to go the other direction, reversing her strikes, giving him a split second to pull out his sheath to plunge it into her abdomen.

While her swords were twirling in reverse, she switched both of her hands onto the opposite sword handles, crossing her arms like an X. And then she uncrossed it, at lightning speed.

She broke Kenshin's sheath before it hit her and elbowed him in the face while doing it, with both elbows. Kenshin moved back from the impact.

As he did so, Yuki head-butted him in the chest, causing him to yelp in pain as his breath got knocked out of him.

"What a pitiful strength… the will to survive." Yuki giggled like a girl as Kenshin lay, sprawled upon the snow, "How can an assassin find the will to survive?"

Kenshin remained laying, catching his breath.

"Is it because of your friend, 'Miss Kaoru'?" She couldn't help it anymore, and began to laugh wickedly. As Kenshin lay, his eyes began to open.

"Your will is meaningless. You have no more need to survive."

"You're wrong…" Kenshin panted, "I have her…"

"No, you don't." She said, "What do you think will happen when I tell her that the man she loves has already slept with another woman?"

He saw himself laying down, closing his eyes, _I'm sorry… Miss Kaoru…_

Kenshin's eyes snapped open, water collecting within them.

"How can you live with her, knowing that she knew that you already gave your heart to me, before you had to her!" she said smirking.

Kenshin felt like he had just been hit by a train. He rolled over and tried to stand up, but failed.

"Will you lie to her, and dishonor your 'love' to her?!" she laughed, "Where is your will? How can you find it if you've already dishonored your love!"

"It was forced." Kenshin said, his head shaking, "You… gave me no choice…" tears began to drip from his face.

Yuki dropped her smile, "You may have thought otherwise. I believe with your friend, Aoshi's words, you may have found some strength. But you understand now, there is no way out. I have you now, battousai…"

Kenshin stood up, anger in his eyes.

"I took that which was most precious to you." She said, "Yes… yes… you feel it now, don't you? I took away your last hope. Your last… pitiful, hope."

Kenshin began to tremble, his eyes a-flame.

"I stole her from under your nose and you didn't even realize it." She said, coldly, "It was unexpected." She continued, "Like my mother."

Kenshin's eyes flared at her.

"Right when you found a place to live in, where you were finally accepted, I destroyed it." she said, coldly, "just like Tomoe… die knowing your life was meaningless."

Suddenly, Kenshin couldn't take it anymore, and he screamed out loud. After he was done, he looked back at her, his eyes bright hazel.

"If you wish to die..." He growled, switching his reverse blade sword around, "Come and try to destroy me."

Her eyes widened in hatred, glancing at him, "Finally you die for what you are!" Fiery images of her mother jousted within her, causing her to match a hatred that equal to Kenshin's. Then they both charged.

They began to attack each other savagely, but none could catch the other. They were both in a blind rage, attacking and slashing everything. Bitter images were sticking unto their emotions, causing them to wield their swords with unlimited hate.

Finally, he sliced her across the face with his blade.

She went with the blow and spinned, slicing him across the abdomen.

"Argh!" Kenshin said, as she sliced again upwards, from his chest to his shoulder. He backed away.

"It's useless." She dashed, continuing to rush at him, "It's time to die!"

"I… don't… think so!" Kenshin said. Unafraid, he rushed straight towards her.

"AMAKAKERU, RYUU NO HIRAMEKI!" He roared, executing his ultimate attack.

But the execution was flawed. For some reason, this time around, he felt something slide against his left foot, and it stopped him. His eyes widened, and he fell down upon the snow.

Yuki suddenly stopped in mid-action, her displacement in motion so sudden that as soon as she stopped, a hurricane of snow burst forward ahead of her.

"Struck yourself with your own move." Yuki said, her eyes narrowed, "It seems like you lost the thing that made you once undefeatable, ne?" she asked him, "The will to survive."

Kenshin cursed, the blood from his foot soaked deep into the snow.

"You've lost, you have nothing to live for anymore." Yuki blinked, "It's a pity."

Kenshin stood up, slowly, "No. I don't care anymore…" he said, his face covered by his hair, "I won't let you live after all the crimes you've committed."

"I will say the same thing." She said back to him.

"I will take you down with me, then." Kenshin said, "For the sake of justice."

Yuki blinked, "You can try."

She dashed towards him and took hold of his collar, and pulled his body up and up to hers. Kenshin cried out into the wind.

"Let me look into your eyes." She said, "What peculiar, interesting, eyes…" she said. Her own eyes, Kenshin saw, were heartless, and cold. She threw him back into the ground.

As she threw him, he grabbed onto the drape of her kimono, and pulled her along with him and they both fell onto the ground.

She fell on top of him and pressed her elbow upon his neck. She continued to apply more pressure on him. As she did so, he used his legs to kick upward, sending her body rolling forward ahead of him. They both stood up at the same time.

She wielded her double katanas at him, "Attack!"

He did. They began to start slashing again, but unlike Yuki, Kenshin lost a sufficient amount of blood every time he tried to strike her. From his cuts before, his energy was slowly draining, but he continued striking, despite his pain.

She used the Kuzo Ryuusen again, and he did as well, blocking all her attacks. They landed both on opposite sides of the Arena. Only Kenshin kneeled down and started panting.

"Since we're both at a standstill." Yuki said, calmly, "Why don't we have an Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki Contest."

Kenshin looked up at her, _could I do it?_ He looked across the battlefield, barely able to see Yuki clearly from his blurred vision.

He remembered the time when he performed the Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki successfully. Even Shishio wasn't able to counter it. _I'd have to be faster than her…_ Kenshin thought, while his vision started twirling around him. He saw colored dots appear, and he found his breath was harder to catch._ I'd have to use… the last of my energy… but that… will be enough…_

He stood up, and took a deep breath, "I'm coming… Tomoe… I'm so sorry it took so long." He rose his sword, stained in his own blood.

He looked at Yuki, and she looked back at him. Suddenly, everything began to become still. Everything flashed before Kenshin's eyes. All his assassinations, his betrayal from Tomoe, his wandering years in solitude, and the warmer parts of his life with Miss Kaoru with him.

_I've lived my life… it's time to repent… now! _He began to charge.

Yuki grinned, and accelerated to her full speed, charging at him, her hands by her side. Kenshin, as well, accelerated, his hand on his blade…

"**_Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki!!!_**" A loud battle cry echoed across the area.

Kenshin didn't know why, but he thought he saw two katana's fly towards Yuki's blades, before the explosive power of the Amakakeru burst into presence. And he also thought… he saw dark hair, and a yellow kimono beside him.

The force was equal on both sides, and Kenshin found himself knocked back a little, as Yuki did as well. They both landed where they started.

"No way!" she yelled out loud, "A triple Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki duel!"

Kenshin felt himself falling, drained of his energy. Then he felt someone catch him. His vision was now blurry, and he thought for a moment he was looking at Tomoe Yukishiro. "_Tomoe…"_ he uttered. Then he felt her hug him.

"Don't die…" Miss Kaoru said to him, "Kenshin… I love you." She put her soft hand upon his cheek, where his scar was, and kissed him.

For a moment, Kenshin's vision was cleared. He looked deep into her eyes, while their face was only inches apart, "Miss Kaoru… I'm sorry…" he said, "There are so many things… I wanted to tell you…" and he collapsed.

"Kenshin!" she screamed.

"Don't worry." Yuki said, from behind her, "He won't get up again. He's dead."

"No!" Kaoru said, facing her, "I believe in him." She said, strongly, "He won't die." Her voice penetrated through Kenshin, causing him to slowly open his eyes.

"Rest… Kenshin." Kaoru said, laying him down beside the nearest tree, "I'll admit I'm not Tomoe, nor Hiko, but I'll protect you, even if my life depends on it." she faced Yuki.

Yuki just stared at her, and then began to laugh.

------

_Kenshin Ending Theme Song…_


	9. Of Past Versus Present

_One Last Look/ The Battle of All Time/  
Past vs. Present_

"Well, it's about time…" Sano grumbled from the floor, "What was that you just did?" He asked.

"If I saw right…" Yuki said, calmly, "She did something that closely resembled the Amakakeru."

"That's right." Kaoru said, looking straight at her, "I did."

Yuki laughed, "You shouldn't have involved yourself, you little girl."

"Ha!" Kaoru said, "I thought you were 17, or was that only two weeks ago?"

"You were a fool to believe me. I'm well over your age, I'm 23."

"Three years… older…" she muttered. Sano almost choked.

"The Hiten Mitsurugi style has maintained my youth." Yuki said, "And it has given me unlimited power. Look around you."

Kaoru looked over at all the fallen bodies on the field, and then redirected her view at Sano.

"Sano… what happened?"

"She took us all out… one by one…" he told her, "So far, Kenshin has been the only one who has been able to stand up against her… except… until she said something to him. He snapped."

She glanced back at Kenshin, who was still breathing stiffly, his eyes halfway closed. _Oh my god… he looks so tired…_ she thought to herself.

"You're next." Yuki said, stepping forward, calmly at her. Kaoru took a stance, as Yuki continued to walk casually towards her.

"So it was you…" Yuki said, softly, "You were the one who has really been giving me such a hard time." She continued walking, while shifting her eyes to Kenshin, "He fought with all his strength in order to live up to your expectations. However… he was ill equipped for this battle. He reached for his strongest weapon, and found it stolen right under his nose, by no other than yours truly." She smiled and stopped. She was only two meters away from Kaoru.

"You—monster." Kaoru said, looking at all the bodies sprawled across the field, "What did you say to him?"

"Would you like me tell you now, or would you rather he tell you…" her voice began to rise, "Once you're _slain_ before his eyes?!" she rushed at her.

Kaoru maintained her stance and waited for her impulse to take action, like sir Hiko had told her. Suddenly, it came. In a split-second, she recognized the upward strike, coming perpendicular towards her.

She withdrew her newfound sword from its sheath, and blocked the first strike of Yuki, with one arm only. Kaoru pushed forward, causing Yuki to lose her balance, and she surged her free palm forward, striking Yuki's stomach.

"uRgh!" Yuki took a step backward, dropping one of her katanas and holding her stomach with her open hand. She looked at awe at Kaoru, and then after a second, began to laugh wickedly.

"You fool. You don't fear me?"

Kaoru said nothing, but stood her stance.

"You dare… defy me my justice?" she asked, louder. Kaoru stood silent.

"Fine, have it your way, you little brat!" she dashed forward towards her and began to unleash her most magnificent combo ever.

However, as she was executing her attack, she found Kaoru blocking every single blow with ease. Her eyes had the calm aura that had been in Kenshin's eyes only moments before. It started to intimidate her, but she continued to attack.

Kaoru turned, dodging the attack, and then swept her sword in a semi-circle, catching Yuki on the neck. If it wasn't for the fact that her sword had no blade, it would have slashed through and killed Yuki at that instant.

Yuki was thrown back from the force again, but she recovered quickly and lunged straight forward. She did a fast three hit combo, swinging ferociously diagonally left and right, ending with a horizontal strike, followed by a 360-degree spin stepping forward, swinging her sword horizontally with her.

"How do you like my reverse?" she asked, as she performed the spin again and again, three times. Kaoru blocked three times, each time, she could feel the impact of the other sword rumble from her fingertips.

"Die already!!" Yuki said, swinging her sword, lunging forward after each strike. Kaoru kept a calm pace, moving and sliding back, switching her legs in between stances, switching hands on her katana's handle to block the attacks, turning around, spinning her sword in her hand in order to stop all the undetectable strikes.

_The center of mass isn't even in the handle of the katana… _Yuki observed, _but she can still manage to twirl the blade around her hand as if it were a rod…_ she pulled back and stopped for a second, moving back.

They looked each other in the eyes. Yuki went forward again, this time, she pulled out both katanas. Kaoru's eyes widened. She hadn't realized until now that Yuki had only used one katana against her this whole time. She stood in stance, ready.

Suddenly, she saw Yuki's eyes shift to her left, away from her. She looked to her left, and surprisingly enough, saw Sano standing beside her.

"You _block_, I _dodge_!" Sano shouted out to her, as Yuki began swinging at both of them, "_NOW!"_ Kaoru nodded in consent and did as Sano had told her.

Sano and Kaoru kept Yuki quite occupied. Sano went about dodging all of her right hand strikes, while Kaoru blocked her left hand strikes at the same time. The three figures moved quickly, and before they knew it, the heat of battle seemed to emenate from their very duel. Yuki couldn't stop striking, for if she did, that would give them both time to counterattack strongly. Her pace was quick however, and she didn't seem to slow down after what seemed like to be hours.

Kaoru found it easier to handle Yuki now that Sano was beside her. She felt relieved that she didn't have to face the entire onslaught by herself.

"It's time!" Sano said, "Let's do what we should've done two weeks ago!"

"Let's go!!!"

Suddenly, Yuki found herself blocking, while Sano and Kaoru launched a miraculous offensive attack on her. She felt careless as she saw that Sano had picked up Okina's metal garments and was using it in order to attack her without fear of the blade slicing his arm.

Kaoru and Sano lunged at the same time.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" They screamed at the same time, landing a blow to her face. Her eyes widened as the impact hit her, and she found herself flying backwards, hitting a tree.

As she hit the tree, she coughed out blood.

"No one hurts Kenshin and gets away with it!" Sano shouted at her.

Yuki's eyes snapped open in an instant and she looked up at them, her eyes as cold as ever, "You fools." She muttered, "Striking together in order to support one another. Pathetic."

"Oh yeah! And you tricked Kenshin too." Sano said, "That's why you defeated him, you chea--uRK!!" He looked down to see a sword through his stomach.

Yuki's eyes ignited in flame, "Shut up." She growled, "You're pissing me off." Her arm was still in front of her, from throwing the blade straight at him.

Sano's eyes widened, and he fell.

"You idiot, don't interrupt a fight between women." She said, standing fully up, "I didn't ask you to interfere." She breathed hard, holding her chest. Kaoru knelt down next to Sano, and held him.

"_Missy…"_ he smiled, _"Hey… you're not… so bad… after all… we got her good…" _Sano's eyes fluttered.

"SANO! SANO!" Tears fell down her eyes, "SANO!"

Suddenly, she felt a hard force upon on her shoulder as Yuki kicked her down onto the snow. Kaoru sprawled back up, while Yuki looked at Sano maliciously.

"Give it back to me!" she said, pressing her foot upon Sano's chest, holding the handle of the katana impaled in him, and kicked him down into the snow, releasing the blade from it's lodgement. Blood spurted out into the sky.

Kaoru screamed, and Yuki turned towards her, Sano's blood drenched her face.

Yuki made a small smile at her, "You're next!"

Kaoru stared hard at Yuki, her eyes displayed a deep ambivalence towards her opponent, who was standing before her.

"I hope you're happy you got a clean hit off me." She said, "Who's the idiot that made that sword?" she asked, "he was stupid enough to forge it without a blade, but when it comes to durability, he's a genius. I swear that all my attacks were all supposed to break it apart." She grinned, "Shall I try again, with no outside forces acting as your guardian shield?" She raised her sword, now covered in blood.

Kaoru turned quickly to look at Kenshin, but he was still there, panting, his eyes barely open.

"Hey! You didn't answer my question!" Yuki said, "Who made it?!" she demanded.

"_I DID!" _A voice called out, suddenly emenating the entire area. A white cape suddenly flashed into view, and the man with the white cape looked forth, his eyes penetrating through Yuki's.

Kaoru turned around, "Sir Hiko…"

For a moment, Yuki's eyes seemed to be full of fear, "…Master…" she muttered, under her breath.

Sir Hiko looked deep into her eyes, "I should have finished this a long time ago." He said, holding up his sword, "I should have known that your heart was filled with maliciousness this entire time."

Yuki looked at him, her fear slowly leaving her eyes, "Master." She told him, "I will punish that man for his crimes in the revolution. You can't interfere!"

"It was my responsibility that I taught you the Hiten Mitsurugi, and it was my responsibility that led to all those disastrous events in Yamasaki village. The sword was not used to kill… and YOU KNOW THAT!" His voice echoed across the arena.

"I KNOW THAT HE KILLED MY MOTHER!" She screamed back at him, "AND IF YOU DON'T THINK I WON'T ATTACK YOU, YOU'RE WRONG!"

"Obstinate!" Hiko Seijiro said, "You are finished." He raised his sword.

Yuki did so as well, and looked at him, "I'm sorry master…" she said, and lunged.

Sir Hiko lunged, and used one strike on the air, causing a hurricane of wind in front of her, but she continued her attack, accelerating even faster. She rushed at him and attacked him with both katanas, but Sir Hiko used both his sword and his sheath to block all attacks. Then he nudged her hard with the sheath into the stomach, causing her to fall bottom first onto the snow.

She rose again and started attacking with unlimited speed. Suddenly, they both disappeared, and all that Miss Kaoru could see was the white flashing light whenever their blades came across each other and reflected a beam of light towards her way.

Then Yuki did something Kaoru didn't expect. She did an attack at ground zero, straight at Hiko. Hiko had no choice but to channel all his strength to block the attack. She then rose the hilt of her other sword, and struck his neck.

Hiko's eyes widened.

"I've just cut off the circulation to your brain." She said mercilessly, "I learned it from a young boy I almost killed in Yamasaki! And the point zero attack, from that officer lying down over there!" she quickly looked back at the fallen Majime Saitou.

Hiko struck his neck with his free hand, and he regained his senses.

"That's not good enough!" he said, angrily, and swung his sword at her. She calmly slid back, avoiding the attack.

"Your weight slows you down!" she said, "I will be the victor now, in the Amakakeru!" she yelled, as she disappeared yet again.

"We'll see about that." Hiko disappeared as well.

An earth shattering smash filled the air, as the victor broke through the other.

Kaoru smiled when she saw Hiko reappear on the other side. But her smile died as she saw Yuki as well, as she reappeared as well, on the other side.

"You left me underneath the waterfall, and thought me to be dead. But as soon as I woke up from the coma you gave me, I saw mere robbers playing with my body." she said calmly, "I slew them at once. And I vowed I would get back at you for forsaking me since then."

The next thing Kaoru saw, she couldn't believe. She saw Hiko kneel down, and fall down upon the snow.

"I spared you, like you spared me." Yuki said, her back turned to the fallen master, "I didn't kill you yet, I just used the reverse of the blades. I wanted to still thank you, sir, for giving me this power." She began laughing. Kaoru began to tremble.

Yuki turned back to her, "_YOU…_" she said looking at her, "Are the last thing that stands in my way."

Kaoru couldn't stop shaking.

"Are you ready to accept your death sentence?" she said to her, "Are you ready to face my wrath?"

Kaoru suddenly regained her balance, and stood still, "No." she said.

Yuki held both her blades at her sides, the tip of the blades facing behind her, and started walking towards Kaoru, "There was a tale I heard, a long time ago." She said, walking closer to her, "About a man who could make it rain blood."

Kaoru bit her lip.

"It's time for you to help me…" Yuki said, "I've always wanted to do it before, I think now would be an appropriate time, don't you think?" she began to rise her swords from her side, drawing them up, making them face the ground.

Kaoru stood silent.

"I see that you don't want to make any final statements before your death… that's ok! It's _him _I'm after!" she looked at Kenshin, "I truly had _fun_ beating up all your friends. Now's the time to take the love of your life."

Kaoru's mouth dropped, "I-I'm not!" she protested, out of reflex.

"Pshh." Yuki narrowed her eyes, "Little…girl…" she rushed, and like thunder an echo resonated behind her.

Kaoru began to block, but after the fifth block she realized that she was dealing with a whole different level of swordsmanship. She had to take the offensive, or not, like Hiko had told her before, she would run out of energy and be as well as dead.

A sudden surge of power resonated through her body, and her eyes snapped wide open, a mysterious fire evident within them.

"HITEN MITSURUGI… DORYOKU!!" She screamed, making an upward slash, breaking one of Yuki's swords in half that was coming down to destroy her.

Yuki's eyes widened, "WHAT?!" she screamed.

"KAITENRYOKU!" Kaoru screamed again, spinning 720 degrees, stepping up after each revolution, "RYUU—SUITSEN!" Yuki blocked, and sparks flew up into the air. "SAYANOSHIN!" she thrust her sheath at Yuki's heart, and the impact was so strong that it resonated a wave of energy as the sheath made contact for that split second.

Yuki flew and fell upon the snow. She choked as blood began to clog her neck.

Kaoru kneeled down, breathing hard. She had used a lot of her energy, executing each strike. She could see her breath as she breathed out into the air. This was unlike her training from before, with the good weather and the calm water to give her energy. In contrast, the cold ebbed away her energy, and the snow stabbed at her skin with an ineffable sharp chill. She stabbed the ground and used the hilt of her sword to stand up.

Yuki was crawling through the snow, her lungs were filled with cold air, but her insides were burning, keeping her body at nominal temperature. She dragged forth, plunging through the snow, her vision blurry.

Kaoru kept firm her grip on the hilt of the sword Hiko had given her. She breathed hard, one eye open. She kept her eye focused on Yuki, who was nearing her sword that she had dropped when Kaoru had hit her She finally lunged at it, grabbed onto it, and plunged face-first into the snow.

Kaoru continued to pant, trying to find energy from within her. Yuki remained lying in the snow, motionless.

"Kenshin…" she looked at him. His eyes were still half opened, and he was barely breathing anymore. Kaoru started breathing harder, and looked back at Yuki. Yuki was still lying down, "It's over…" she said, silently.

She turned and ran over to Kenshin.

"Kenshin!" she called out, "I have a salve that Miss Megumi gave me before I came here. Here…" she pulled out a small round jar from her belt and opened the lid. Then she rubbed her hands in the salve and began applying it to Kenshin's wounds.

Immediately as he felt the balm contact his body, Kenshin's nerves began to feel warm and numb. After a moment, his body was immune to the pain, and his wounds started to slowly stop bleeding. His eyes opened fully.

"Miss Kaoru…" he said, almost normally, "I'm…" His eyes suddenly opened wide, "Get down!" he pushed her down, just as a blade was thrust at her. The sword continued its path, deeply lodging itself into the tree behind Kenshin.

Kenshin grit his teeth and kicked Yuki, but by then she pulled the sword out of the tree and slid back, dodging his attack.

"Aw man." Yuki said, annoyed, "That was the perfect Gatotsu!"

Kaoru turned around and looked up at Yuki, her eyes widening as she saw Yuki wielding two swords before them.

_She must've stolen Hiko's Sword…_Kaoru said, looking at it beside Yuki.

"You didn't really think the Sayanoshin, the ultimate attack of the _sheath_, could take me down, did you?" her eyes narrowed, "But unfortunately, it's time that I unleash my ultimate attack as well. And I'm sorry to say, it's not a simple execution of swordsmanship. It lodges much deeper into the soul." She grinned.

"What are you talking about?" Kaoru demanded.

Yuki continued to grin. She was about to open her mouth, but Kenshin beat her to it.

"Miss Kaoru!" Kenshin said, "There's something I have to tell you…" his head fell, "Miss Kaoru… I'm sorry…"

Kaoru looked back at Kenshin, perplexed, "What do you mean?"

Kenshin tried to find some words to say, Kaoru could tell he was struggling trying to begin talking.

"When I was injured…" Kenshin finally said, "When I told you to leave the Mirameki… so that I could have some time with Yuki…" he paused, "Miss Kaoru, I… _Kaoru_… I…" his head dropped, "_I'm… sorry."_

"He made love to me." Yuki broke through to her, "We made love to each other."

Kaoru choked.

Yuki dropped her grin, "Now you see you've come here for an unworthy cause." She said. Kaoru's knees buckled, and she kneeled down on the snow, her eyes looking up into the sky, "_keep the spirits up…_" she muttered to herself, her eyes watering, "_I have to…_" she plunged her head deep into the snow below her, and screamed.

Kenshin outstretched his hand to her, while still sitting down in front of the tree. Suddenly, his eyelids began to fall, "Miss Kaoru…" his energy began to die from him, and his arm dropped.

Kaoru surfaced her head back from the snow, and looked up at Yuki.

"Kenshin…" she said, still looking into Yuki's eyes, "There's something I have to tell you…" She said, her voice quiet.

Kenshin's eyes blinked, and it reopened fully.

"I…" Kaoru choked, "I…should _have known _this would happen." She said, her voice trembling, "Kenshin… _Kenshin…" _her voice was high, at the brink of breaking into sobs, "_Kenshin…I'm sorry…"_

Tears began to drop from Kenshin's eyes. Yuki's eyes sparkled from entertainment.

"_Kenshin…_" Kaoru said, "_I'm so sorry…"_

She turned away from Yuki and looked down into the snow, in defeat.

_"That night…when you were hit with the Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki…we found your body, and I stayed with you at the closest inn before we went to the Mirameki, while the others continued to search for Ishimo._

_I thought you were going to die. I thought I was going to lose you forever." _She sobbed, tears falling into the snow, _"I was so hysterical, I was so worried… that I lost control of myself. When I felt your pulse dying…when I saw your breath whither…I never felt as scared in my life."_

Kenshin started breathing hard, and he continued looking at her, tears in his eyes.

"_I'm so sorry… I should've known this would happen…" _she said, her voice fluttering, _"I should've known…that… I would have to atone… for what I DID that night…" _she faced him, her eyes determined, _"…to you!"_

Kenshin and Yuki's eyes snapped wide open at the same time. Kenshin began to breathe harder, for a different reason. Yuki stared hard at her. Kenshin's senses began to return to him.

_-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_

_Kenshin rose his eyes for what seemed to be once since a very long time. Surprisingly enough, it was night, and someone was pressing their body against him, smuggling him._

_"Oh Kenshin…"_

_Kenshin's strength started failing again and he could feel his eyes lids pulling down. Miss… Kaoru…?_

_-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_

Kaoru faced towards Yuki, her eyes filled in sadness, but a small smile imprinted in her face, "So… you see…" she said, still addressing Kenshin, while looking at Yuki's face change expression, "The truth is…"

"The truth is…" Kenshin said, "You…"

"I did it… I thought it was the only thing I could do… to… to… revive you. I was so foolish!" Kaoru's head dropped, "_I'm so sorry Kenshin…I was so worried…_"

For the first time this day, Kenshin smiled, "Don't be. You…saved my life that day." He used the hilt from his katana and stood up from where he was sitting.

"When I plunged into darkness, all trace of thought had left me. I was truly unconscious, I had no sense of perception whatsoever." He said, "If there was any time that I had almost experienced death, it was then. But in the middle of the night, I felt something…"

He began to walk over to Kaoru, "It gave life to me. I could feel it… giving me life." He kneeled down, and caressed Kaoru on the cheek, "And that reason of life… continues to make me live today."

Kaoru looked up at him, her eyes sparkling.

"It's time," Kenshin said, standing up, looking straight forward, "to do a favor I should have done a long time ago to a girl I caused to suffer twelve years ago…" Kenshin's eyes narrowed, "to reunite her with her family."

Kenshin took his stance. Kaoru stood up, and mimicked him, copying the exact same move.

Yuki looked at the two pair of eyes, full of calm and consent.

"You will die, and I will get my justice!" Yuki screamed at them, and rushed at them. Kenshin and Kaoru sprung up at the same time, in perfect unison, disappearing from the naked eye.

**_"Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki!"_** They screamed, as they came in contact together. A strong wind erupted before them, rendering them motionless.

Except for Yuki, who, right before her strike, released her handles, and spun away from the wind of paralysis, allowing her freedom of motion. After her revolution, she gripped both swords again and made an X.

"It's time for Justice!" Suddenly, everything went black for her.

Hiko Seijiro stood behind her, holding a Kodachi impaled through her heart, "It's time to finally let go, Mirami, Shiai." He said, to her, "Justice has been served."

Kenshin and Kaoru watched in horror, as Yuki fell into the snow, truly motionless, as the effect of the clash between the Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki began to wear away from their bodies.

_-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_

_3 months later…_

Kenshin looked at the Hadoyaka na Onna, the Fountain of the naked woman. The sky was blue, and the weather was good. There were hardly any days like these anymore. But today was different. The clouds had cleared, and he felt relaxed.

All of his friends had fully recovered that day. Sano was the last one, actually, but he was able to receive special treatment from Miss Megumi, so that was expected that he would survive the battle.

Kenshin continued to stare at the Hadoyaka na Onna, marveling at the sculpture as if it were invaluable. Hiko Seijiro was beside him, looking at it with him.

"She's gone…" Kenshin finally said.

"She's finally resting…" Hiko said, "I assume you're looking at this fountain as if it were her grave."

"The day before we found out about the incident in Yamasaki…" He told him, "I had a dream, that I was the battousai. I dreamt that I reverted to being the battousai." He paused, "But I realize now that I was wrong. I wasn't dreaming about being the battousai again. I was dreaming about the past."

"What were you dreaming about, then?"

"About her…" he looked at the Onna, "I dreamt that I killed her."

"You didn't." Hiko said, calmly, "She killed herself, by trying to get revenge on you. It destroyed her."

Kenshin nodded.

"You truly are an idiot, aren't you?" he suddenly said.

"Huh?!" Kenshin's eyes widened. Hiko grinned.

"You think too much about the past. It's over with already." His grin was still smacked on his face, but he was looking at Kaoru, a couple feet away from them, "You've found yourself a home. Live."

Kaoru faced them, and smiled.

Kenshin closed his eyes, "Thank you… I will… Master…"

------

_Kenshin Ending Theme Song…_


	10. DISCLAIMER

Disclaimer

I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I said this fanfic should be animated, but honestly I think it'd take a thousand reviews saying it should before I actually take action and truly consider talking with the RK staff about it. Seriously, I would. And I'd let them agree too. But don't get me wrong, this is just a fanfic! I'm not writing for profit! I'm writing for all the fans out there who really want MORE authentic-like Rurouni Kenshin! So please don't sue!

Author's Note: This does not follow the **official** ending of Kenshin. Ok…here's why. I watched the last movie on DVD and I didn't like it. This is after I watched the series in Cartoon Network and thought something else had to happen. Also, I didn't want to waste money on DVD's so I could watch the rest of the series with villians that obviously wouldn't match up to Shishio. So I made this.** I want this to be as authentic as possible, so please point out things that I don't get right, and I'll edit it immediately**. There are only a few, if any. This is the best place to get these critiques, and I totally welcome it. Thanks everyone! I'll be looking forward to it.

* * *

Answers to Reviews

**K-Man3: **Thanks, that's good information about the ultimate attack! The way the attack was executed in the first chapter is further discussed in the chapter "Finding the Exile". I hope you continue reading my fic, I'm glad you added it onto your favorite stories list!

**HitokiriBattousai214**: Yeah, I try to keep things as close to the series as possible, so thanks. I like your Kenshin face. That's pretty cool.


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